NBIN Weekend Recap: Racewalkers Earn All-American, Rusak Excels in Pentathlon
Saturday Recap
The tradition of Maine racewalkers excelling at the national championship continued on Saturday in the girls and boys one mile racewalk.
In the girls race Kayla Allen & Sydney Sirios finished fifth & sixth overall while in the boys race Steven Smith of South Portland placed third.
Allen who competes for Lewiston High School in the spring walked a new Maine all-time best & New England record 7:18.52. The Maine all-time best mark of 7:25.74 was set back in 2003 by Jasmine Brooks of Dirigo. Sirios was also under under the mark as she clocked a new personal best of 7:19.35, that mark is the second best in New England history. Watch Interview w/Allen
Steven Smith a senior from South Portland started out in third place and remained there throughout the race as he clocked a 7:11.63 for the one mile distance to earn All-American honors.
For the second consecutive year Mt Desert Island senior Tia Tardy won the girls emerging elite mile. Tardy the two time Class B mile champion set the early pace, and then had to kick her way back to lead with 150m to go. She crossed the line in a time of 4:58.83, her second fastest time on the season, and fourth time in her career under 5 minutes which ties Bethanie Brown for the most in state history.
Scarborough senior Sam Rusak earned All-American honors in the pentathlon as he tallied a personal best 3576 points. Rusak got off to a rough start in the 60m hurdles, as he hit every hurdle en route to a 8.95 clocking which had him ranked 11th out 13th entrants. He rallied in the long jump as he was able to pop off a personal best 20-6 1/4 on his final attempt to earn 641 points which moved him him up to 10th overall. The shot put was next where Rusak through a personal best 44-3 1/4 on his first attempt, that throw was the second best of the field, and moved him up to 6th overall. The high jump was next where he cleared 5-11 1/2, after struggling most of the competition due to a sore foot. It all came down to the 1000m where Rusak remained in 6th place just 19 points ahead of the 7th place competitor. He set the pace for the first 400m of the 1000m before settling into the pace. Noah Swaby who was 19 points behind him took the pace and pushed trying to secure an All-American finish, Swaby took the win but Rusak didn't give up much as he finished in 2:43.27 holding off Swaby by 4 points. The run moved Rusak up to 4th overall, giving him his first indoor All-American finish. Watch Interview w/Rusak
In the girls freshman 400m Emma Gallant of Cheverus ran a personal best 58.21 to win section five by over two seconds. Gallant the Class A state champion at 200m & 400m lowered her own freshman Maine all-time in the process, and clocked the fourth fastest 400m in state history.
In the boys championship shot put New England & Class A champion Austin Lufkin just missed All-American honors by 1 1/2 inches as he threw a personal best 62-2 1/4 on his final throw. The mark is the second best in Maine indoor history. Lufkin ends the year with the 11th best throw in the country.
Scarborough freshman Jarett Flaker ran a personal best 51.83 as he finished second in section 6, and finished 9th best overall. The time was the fourth fastest in the state this indoor season, and lowered his freshman Maine all-time best.