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Parry McCluer High School junior Kovyk Chandler defended his state title in the boys’ 3200-meter run, breaking his own school record, and won the 1600meter run at the Class 1 and 2 combined state indoor track and field meet on Thursday at Liberty University.
Breaking away in the final lap, Chandler finished the 3200-meter run in 9:46.72, breaking his old school record by about four seconds. Lebanon’s Derek Mitchell placed second of 17 runners in 9:50.27, while Grundy’s Kaleb Elswick placed third in 10:11. In the Class 1 state cross country meet in November, Chandler had finished second to Mitchell by about 23 seconds, with Elswick finishing a hundredthof- a-second behind Chandler in third place.
On Thursday, Mitchell led for most of the race, but Chandler passed him with a lap to go.
Both Mitchell and Elswick were slated to compete in the 1600-meter run, but they dropped out of that race to have fresh legs for the 3200. “It’s a smart move from their coaches, and I would have done the same,” said PM head coach Chris Poluikis. “It puts the kids first and gives them their best opportunity to win a championship.”
Poluikis said the plan was for Chandler to set a sub-10-minute 2-mile pace “because we knew that the other kids would probably get around that time, and then to kick to the end.”
The PM coach said that, instead of having Chandler taper for the state meet, he got Chandler to continue to put in high mileage. “It was honestly the sharpest I’ve seen him at states, and I think it works for him,” said Poluikis.
In the 1600-meter run, Chandler took the lead early and won in 4:26.87. Glenvar’s Caeden Bowker placed second of 10 runners in 4:36.52. “In the 1600, it was don’t play around and just blast it,” said Poluikis. The PM coach said Chandler “just flew” in the race.
Also competing for the PM boys was freshman Logan Wheelock, who placed 15th in the 3200-meter run in 10:56.78, a personal record (PR) by about 18 seconds. “Logan raced about as well as I could have hoped for,” said Poluikis. “He ran well, and this is a good experience for him.”
The lone PM girl competing was freshman Kamilah Richardson in the shot put, Richardson placed eighth of 15 throwers with 32 feet, 11 inches, a PR by more than four feet. Richardson earned all-state honors by placing in the top eight.
“She did excellent,” said PM throwing coach Danny Cole, noting that Richardson improved her throws by 7 feet in the final two weeks of the season. “Considering that she first picked up a shot put a little over three months ago and now has placed eighth in the [state] is amazing.”
Cole expects Richardson to have a strong outdoor track and field season.
With just two individuals competing, the PM boys placed 13th of 39 scoring teams, tallying 20 points. Richardson scored one point for the PM girls to put them tied for 38th place of 39 scoring teams. Glenvar won the boys’ meet with 58 points, Bruton (49) placed second, and Lancaster (44) finished third. Floyd County (55) won the girls’ meet with 55 points, Poquoson (44) placed second, and Appomattox County (39) and Tazewell tied for third.
After a short break in competition, the Blues will start practicing for the outdoor track and field season.
PM JUNIOR Kovyk Chandler leads an opponent during the boys’ 1600-meter run, which Chandler won in 4:26.87. (photo by Mark Pifer of The Recorder)
