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Parry McCluer High School senior Kovyk Chandler set a new school record in the boys’ 1600meter run for outdoor track and field, while freshman teammate Kebryl Chandler also eclipsed the previous school record at the Carolina Distance Carnival on Saturday night in Matthew, N.C.
Racing at Weddington High School, just south of Charlotte, Kebryl beat 2020 PM graduate Dylan May’s previous record by nearly four seconds. Kebryl finished in 4:22.57, a personal record by about a second. May’s record, set in 2019, was 4:26.47. May is now a junior track and cross country runner for Southern Virginia University.
In a separate heat 15 minutes later, Kovyk beat his younger brother’s time, finishing in 4:19.76. It wasn’t Kovyk’s fastest 1600-meter run. Kovyk ran the distance in 4:18.58 when he won the boys’ 1600-meter run at the Class 1 and 2 combined state indoor track and field meet in late February at Liberty University.
The meet had extremely fast competition, with the Christ School’s Dawson Reeves winning the boys’ 1600 in 4:06.9.
Commenting on the Chandlers’ races, PM head coach Chris Poluikis said, “They just keep improving.”
Poluikis only took the Chandlers, and he said the experience was “pretty successful. They were there to run a fast time.”
“It was what we were hoping for,” added Poluikis. “It was a beautiful night with perfect conditions. No wind.”
The PM coach added that, while the meet was far away, it was a rare opportunity for the Chandlers to face some of the nation’s elite runners.
The Chandlers will take a break from competition this weekend, while the rest of the Fighting Blues’ will compete at the Titan Track Classic on Saturday at Hidden Valley High School in Roanoke.
