KRATZ GRABS GOLD WITH TEAM USA
Dock grads runs on winning 4x1 relay at World U20 Championships
Austin Kratz’s 2018 track year just keeps getting better.
After dominating the first half of the year for Dock Mennonite Academy and making his college commitment, the recent graduate is now winning races against competition from all across the world.
Last weekend Kratz helped bring home the gold medal for Team USA in the 4x100-meter relay at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Under-20 Track & Field Championships in Tampere, Finland.
Kratz ran the third leg of the relay, which the United States won in 38.88. Jamaica finished in second at 38.96, Germany third at 39.22 and Japan fourth at 39.23.
The 4x100 was the final event on Day 5 of the six-day event and it was the first gold medal for the Americans.
The United States finished first overall in the competition, with three gold medals, eight silvers, seven bronzes and 155 points. Kenya placed second with 112 points and Jamaica came in third with 101.
This was another accomplishment in Kratz’s already decorated 2018 campaign.
He took gold in the District 1 Class-2A 100, 200, 4x100 and long jump a couple months ago. He broke 37-year-old records in the 100 at 10.54 and 200 at 21.04.
In states, Kratz grabbed more gold in the 100, 200 and 4x100 while earn-
ing silver in the long jump. In the winter, the senior won Pennsylvania Track and Field Coaches Association (PTFCA) indoor state titles in the 60 and 200. After that, he won the 200 in a state record 21.01 at the New Balance Nationals Indoor track meet in New York.
Kratz will continue his academic and athletic career at Arizona State University this fall.