AZUSA, CALIF. — The Central College track & field team continued to record fast times while in sunny Southern California at the Bryan Clay Invitational hosted by Azusa Pacific University Friday.
In six of the eight races run by Central athletes Friday, the individual was able to set a new PR.
Kyle Pape (sophomore, Dubuque, Wahlert Catholic HS) and
Jon Specht (junior, Dubuque, Hempstead HS) were able to set new personal bests in the 800 meters and 1,500 meters.
Pape recorded a time of 4 minutes, 1.66 seconds in the 1,500 meters in his second race of the day to place 192nd of 266 competitors. He opened with 1:56.43 800-meter run that secured an 86th-place finish. Specht crossed in the 800 meters at 1:56.31 (83rd) before culminating his day with a 4:04.13 1,500 meters. He placed 213th.
"They had fantastic days," coach Joe Dunham said. "Those performances put them in the upper group in the Iowa Conference."
Mark Fairley (junior, Dubuque) ran the best 1,500 meter time for the Dutch, coming in at 3:54.82 to end up at 121st place. He's only four seconds off the school record with that time.
"All of those guys are getting very close to being ready to put together some great doubles," Dunham said. "We made great progress today."
Taylor Donner (junior, Dubuque) rounds out the men's competitors for Central in California. He finished 116th in the 800 meters, after completing the two laps in 2:01.27
Running in both the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes,
Hope Heitman (sophomore, Guttenberg, Clayton Ridge HS) was able to lower her PR in the 400 meters.
She finished 41st in 58.37 seconds in the 400, while clocking in at 25.81 in the 200 to take 69th.
"Hope had a very productive day," Dunham said. "I'm very happy with where she is right now and she will be hitting her marks at the right time."
Day two of competition continues for a different contingent of Dutch athletes at the Jim Duncan Invitational in Des Moines Saturday.
