Zach Barry Runs Third Fastest 800 In State History


Scarborough junior Zach Barry entered this weekend with a 1:57.12 800m personal best. On Friday night he gave us a hint that he was ready to lower it after a 1:55.9 anchor leg in the 1600m sprint medley. On Sunday he toed the line in the championship 800m looking to run faster than he had split on Friday. Running in heat one, Barry started on the outside pole and was able to position himself well in seventh place. His first lap was a 28.02 was followed by a 27.74 as Barry moved himself into fourth with two laps to go. Zach didn't settle on the third lap as he continued to push going past two more runners on the backstretch, as the bell ran he was positioned in third place. He would secure third place as he crossed the line in 1:55.24. His time was a new personal best by almost two seconds and moved him into third place on the Maine indoor 800m all-time best list with the performance. His effort was good for fifteenth overall.

Maine Indoor Boys All-Time Best List

Thornton Academy junior Mia-Claire Kezal the 2020 Class A indoor 800m runner-up turned in a strong performance in the second heat of the championship 800m. Kezal entered with a personal best of 2:17.44 and a seasonal best of 2:20.61 ran a smart race deciding not to go with the quick early pace. She came through 200m in 32.5 and 400m in 66.48 which put her in seventh place overall. The third quarter saw Kezal move up to fifth place and in a good position to close the gap on those in front of her. Closing out the final lap in 35.29 she moved all the way to third place stopping the clock at 2:17.19 for a new personal best. She finished 11th overall in the event. The mark for Mia-Claire moves her into a tie for the 12th fastest indoor performer in Maine history.

In heat one defending Class B state champion, Alexandra Brent of York set a personal best 2:21.20 as she finished seventh in the heat and 24th overall in the event.

PHOTOS

In other action, Gray-New Gloucester senior Zoe Barnes threw 35-9 1/2 to place 18th in the championship shot put. Scarborough's Jayden Flaker was injured during the warm-up for the 60m hurdle semi's and was unable to run.

In the open 800m, Emmaline Pendleton of Bonny Eagle finished eleventh with a 2:23.38 effort. On the boys side defending Class B champion Hunter Burkhardt of St Dominic Regional High School ran a personal best 2:03.38 to finish 25th overall. Also running in the 800m was James Cognata of Winthrop, he clocked a 2:05.89 which placed him 39th in the event. VIDEOS