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Seven athletes from the Glenwood Springers track club competed at the USA Track and Field Colorado State Association Meet last weekend in Aurora at Cherry Creek High School’s Legacy Stadium.
Athletes from all over the state competed in multiple track and field events for a chance to qualify for the regional championships at Mesa Community College in Mesa, Arizona later this summer.
Saturday started off with two stellar performances in the 3000 meters as Carbondale’s Isabella Moon placed fifth in the girls 13-14 age group with a time of 13 minutes, 32 seconds and 69/100s of a second. Glenwood Springs’ Benny Swanson placed second in the boys race with a time of 10:05 and qualified for the regional meet. Eliana Fulk had a busy Saturday competing in her first ever championship meet and coming away with two first place finishes for the 8-and-under age group.
Fulk placed first in the 400 meter run with a time of 1:24 and first in the 800-meter with a time of 3:02.88. Both victories qualified her to the regional championship in both events.
Aside from Fulk in the 800-meter run, Moon placed 11th in the event for the 13-14 year old girls, while Daxton Almeida placed seventh for the 11-12 year old girls. Aidan Riciputi placed seventh for the 11-12 year old boys as well.
Glenwood Springs’ Calvin Swanson placed second in the 9-10 boys division in the 800 meters with a time of 2:53.81. This effort also qualified him for the regional meet in Arizona later this summer. Swanson’s effort in the 800 meters came shortly after a win in the javelin for the 9-10 boys with a throw of 18.3 meters.
Competition continued Sunday morning as many Springers athletes competed in the 1500-meter run on the final day of competition.
Calvin Swanson picked up where he left off in Saturday’s performances, placing second in the 9-10 division in the 1500 meters with a time of 6:01.59. Benny Swanson placed fifth in the boys 13-14 age group with a time of 4:54.33. Riciputi placed 12th in the 11-12 division , while Almeida placed seventh in the 11-12 girls division with a time of 5:49.49.
Moon rounded out the 1500-meter competitors for the Glenwood Springers by placing 12th with a time of 6:24.09.
Competition for the Glenwood Springers finished up with Emma Barsness competing in the 2000-meter Steeplechase. A USA Track and Field Junior Olympic National Qualifier in the Steeplechase last year, Barsness used her experience to be patient during a fast start.
After running five laps of barriers, Barsness placed second in the 15-16 girls age group with a time of 8:29.49, good enough to qualify for the regional meet in Arizona later this summer.
The Glenwood Springers will be in action again on Saturday, June 29th at Glenwood Springs High School as the Springers’ track club hosts its home meet. The meet is open to all ages and anyone in the community, and is free this year as there is no charge for competing in any events. The meet will offer events ranging from the 100-meter dash to the 3200-meter run.
Field events will feature the long jump, shot put, and high jump. The meet will also offer two Special Olympic races in the 100- and 200-meter dash.
