Newbury Park sets numerous records
The maintenance crew at Azusa Pacific will need weeks to scrub away the scorch marks on the track in the wake of Saturday night’s Meet of Champions Distance Classic.
Numerous state and national records were shattered as Newbury Park senior Colin Sahlman and his teammates put on a display never before seen in the history of the event.
Sahlman clocked 1 minute 48.84 seconds to edge little brother Aaron (1:48.91) in the boys’ 800, beating the meet record of 1:50.10 set by Placentia Valencia’s Sean Krinik in 2010. The brothers’ times are the fastest in the country this year.
Colin, who is headed to Northern Arizona, was coming off a 1:50.90 effort indoors two weekends before at the New Balance Nationals in Manhattan after recording a sub-4:04 split to anchor his team’s national record in the 4xMile relay.
“Our mindset was to take it out fast the first lap and I thought I might do it, but Colin had that little kick at the end that I didn’t have,” Aaron Sahlman said. “To be pushed by your own brother is super fun. I’m going to miss him next year when he goes to college, but I’m going to enjoy the rest of this year. We want to break more records.”
Another sibling duel materialized when Newbury Park junior Leo Young broke the high school outdoor record for 1,600 meters with a 3:59.52 split en route to winning the boys’ mile in a personal-best 4:00.77 while his brother Lex took second in 4:04.68. Leo broke the meet record of 4:03.13.
In the 3,200, Conor Gibson from West Torrance capped a blazing day on the oval by breaking nine minutes with a time of 8:59.91.
In the girls’ 800, Newbury Park senior Samantha McDonnell dazzled in her outdoor debut, winning the race in a personal-best 2:08.33, slightly more than a second behind the meet record of 2:07.31 set last year by Crescenta Valley’s Mia Barnett. McDonnell is the new state leader, topping the 2:08.89 clocked by La Cañada’s Arielle McKenzie at the Nike Redondo Invitational.
In the girls’ mile, Manhattan Beach Mira Costa senior Dalia Frias sprinted the last lap in 68 seconds and overtook Ventura freshman Sadie Englehardt in the final 25 meters to win in 4:35.06, breaking the state record of Irvine University’s Polly Plumer set in 1982. Dukebound Frias has the fastest time in the country this year.