by Larry Eder
photo by PhotoRun.net
NEW YORK CITY (11-Mar) — Day three of the New Balance Nationals Indoor meet was one to remember, with records falling left and right here in New York City.
To begin the final day of competition, one question was on everybody’s mind – could Lukas Verzbicas win the 5000m, 2-mile, and mile over the course of three days.
Verzbicas, who won the 5000m on Friday in a national record 14:06.78, entered the two mile after only getting three hours of sleep Saturday night. But that didn’t stop the University of Oregon-bound senior.
Verzbicas & Cheserek, 2011 NB Nationals Indoor, photo by PhotoRun.net.
Along with St. Benedict’s Prep sophomore Edward Cheserek, Verzbicas treated the crowd here at the New Balance Track & Field Center to a duel of epic proportions.
Separating from the field early on, the two went through 1200m in 3:16.2, with Verzbicas leading.
Verzbicas crossed the line in 8:40.70, just missing Gerry Lindgren’s 46 year-old national record of 8:40.
Verzbicas & Cheserek: 2011 New Balance Nationals Indoor, photo by PhotoRun.net“I did not feel good during the race,” he laughed. “I just kept it out of my mind and believed in myself.”
Leaving the track following the race, Verzbicas had one thing to decide: whether he would run the mile or not. The answer would be yes. With only an hour and fifteen minutes in between races, the 18 year-old decided to raise his legs, listen to some music, and think about his high school career.
Toeing the line for the mile, Verzbicas’s plan was to sit and wait until two laps to surge and make his move. But after Roslyn, New York’s Owen Skeete took the pace out in 62.2 seconds, Verzbicas had to move up or else be left in the dust. Passing 1000m in 2:31.4, Verzbicas was trailing behind California’s Elias Gedyon and Skeete.
At half-way, the lanky Verzbicas made his move to the front and never looked back. Hearing the bell, he surged and lengthened the gap between himself and the field, ultimately capping off his triple with a 27-second last 200m. Hands in the air and a mile-wild smile across his face, Verzbicas broke the tape in 4:10.67.
“It was a tactical race, and it went by very, very fast. But I felt much better during the mile.”
Completing the high-school version of the Zatopek triple, Verzbicas was elated.
“It all came together and it’s really amazing.”
Verzbicas also won the team competition single-handed. Running for Carl Sandburg TC of Illinois, he scored 30 points, two points more than Christian Brother’s Academy of New Jersey, the next closest team.
Verzbicas’s performance wasn’t the only highlight of day three.
Atlanta, Georgia’s Shelby Ashe was the winner of the girl’s weight throw, launching 68-2 1/2″. The mark is a new national record, breaking her own former mark by just under a foot. Ashe was also named the Female Trackster of The Meet by New Balance. the Also in the field events, Marquis Dendy jumped 51-03.75; that was his second national championship title of the weekend.
The best finish of the day came in the boy’s 400m. Sean Sutton came from seemingly nowhere to win by a hair in 47.91. Second was Najee Glass in 47.93, and third was Champ Page in 47.93. The difference between the winner and third was two-hundreths of a second. The girl’s 400m was won by Kendall Baisden of Detroit, Michigan in 54.23.
Aisling Cuffe narrowly missed Melody Fairchild’s national record in the 2-mile, timing 9:56.85. Cuffe is a busy runner – she will be boarding a plane bound for Punta Umbria, Spain and the IAAF World Cross Country Championships within the next 24 hours, where she hopes for a top-ten finish.
Hanna Meier, the winner of section 2 in the mile, became the national champion thanks to a fast race and little bit of luck. The second section of the event was won in 4:49.23 by Joelle Amaral. But, because finals are based on time, Meier was crowned the champion.
The girl’s team title was won by Speed City of Long Beach Polly, California.
Sunday marked the final day of competition here, as over 3000 athletes came and ran, jumped, and threw over three days. All race videos and results are presented in on-demand fashion on the meet’s Facebook page, Facebook.com/NewBalanceNationals.
Lukas’ excellent adventure complete, he smiles, 2011NB Nationals Indoor, photo by PhotoRun.net
