Ahmed picks right spot to win boys invite mile

By Brian Towey for DyeStat

NEW  YORK -- Schenectady NY senior Maazin Ahmed took multiple jabs at the NYRR Millrose Games high school mile during the winter of 2016-17. On Saturday, at The New Balance Games, he finally punched his ticket.

Ahmed wrestled control of the race from a stellar field, including St. John's Prep MA senior Tristan Shelgren, Neshaminy PA senior Rusty Kujdych and Wyomissing Area PA senior Joe Cullen for a 4:18.49 win.

Kujdych and Cullen towed the field through opening splits of 64 and 2:10. Then the real racing began. Niskayuna NY junior Donovan Tucker made an aggressive move with three laps to go, taking the lead. Then Ahmed angled through, with two laps to go, seizing first. Shelgren remained close behind.

It was Ahmed-Shelgren 1-2 in the final backstretch, with Tucker and Kujdych close behind. Ahmed held the lead, barely, edging Shelgren (4:18.58).

"It definitely wasn't an easy race to run," Ahmed said. "Everyone was bunched up together. I realized I needed to move and run faster. I'm glad I did when I did or I would have been in trouble."

Shelgren secured a bid with his second-place finish, but lamented the final sequence.

"I made a mistake going into the last lap," said Shelgren, who will run for the University of North Carolina next year.

"I tried to get a gap on (Ahmed). I got boxed on the outside. I couldn't get around on the final curve."

Ahmed and Kujdych (fourth, 4:19.28) will run together at Georgetown next year. Tucker was third (4:19.14) and Cullen was fifth (4:23.15).  

Saratoga Springs NY junior Kelsey Chmiel, fresh off a cross country victory at the Great Edinburgh XCountry International Challenge last weekend in Scotland, ensured that the girls invitational mile had far less suspense. Chmiel powered through splits of 67 and 2:19 -- opening up a 40-meter gap on a field that inlcuded Abington Heights PA senior Katie Dammer -- and was never tested in a dominating 4:48.94 win.

"I wasn't sure how it was going to go," Chmiel said. "I just wanted to go out fairly strong and stay out in front."

Dammer placed second in 5:00.12. Carmel NY's Jade Sessions was third in 5:02.07.

Chmiel later anchored Saratoga Springs' distance medley relay to a meet record time of 11:59.32. Chmiel's 4:48.75 1,600-meter leg brought home the win for relay teammates Bethan Chilton, Keelyn Cummings and Carley Vetter.

Saratoga Springs junior Shea Weilbaker was also added to the NYRR Millrose Games high school mile, based on his third-place finish at the Millrose Trials and the 4:14.9 anchor leg he ran to lead his team to victory in the DMR. Saratoga Springs broke the boys meet record with 10:17.41, holding off Seneca Valley PA (10:23.07) and Xavier NY (10:23.82).

"I know a lot of runners in our program have gone -- Aidan Tooker and Kelsey Chmiel," Weilbaker said of the Millrose invitation. "It's going to be awesome to go for a big PR."

Philadelphia school St. Joseph's Prep debuted in the relays with two big wins in the boys 4x200 (1:29.68) and 4x400 (3:18.23), the latter of which was a meet record. The quartet of senior Miles Green, senior Robert Dupell, sophomore Salim Epps and freshman Malik Cooper composed both relays.

"We have to come up here two or three times a year," sprint coach Kenroy Wallace said. "Get some sprints in, get in the blocks."

Wallace, a New York native and former runner at Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, came to the North Philadelphia school five years ago after a sprint protege of his, current University of Georgia running back D'Andre Swift, came to the school.

"I formed a track club, Athletes Academy," said Wallace, a middle school teacher. "(St. Joe's Prep) liked Swift's speed and asked me to work out with the football players."

St. Joe's sprinters have continued to blossom. A friendly local rivalry with Imhotep Charter School has only enhanced the program's profile, as well.

"They've kind of been the powerhouse around (Philadelphia)," Wallace said. "They're great competition. We always go hard when we see them and we run great times."

South Lakes VA sophomore Hannah Waller won the 55 meters (6.99) and the 300 (39.05).

"I think that the 55 is my best event because I have more experience with it," Waller said. "I only ran the 300 for the second time today, but I like that as well."

Lincoln Senior RI senior Garrett Doyle won the weight throw with a toss of 69-6.75, edging Spencerport NY senior Andrew Palermo (69-0.75).

"I just want to hit 70 feet," said Doyle, who is leaning towards Ohio State for college. "Seventy-five would be great. ... I just have to put it all together."

Spencerport NY junior Vanessa Watson won the 600 meters (1:32.65) and the 500 (1:12.83).

North Pocono PA's Jessica Slagus won the girls invitational weight throw with a toss of 49-7.

FDR NY junior Sarah Trainor won the 2-mile in a meet-record 10:41.99.

Senior Brandon Tunson of C.H. Flowers MD won the 55-meter hurdles in 7.42 seconds.

"I feel like I got out of the blocks well," Tunson said. "Overall I thought it as a pretty clean race."

New Rochelle NY's Audrey Fox, who won the girls 1,500-meter racewalk (7:04.9) is serious about continuing the the event in college. That's why she'll attend the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

"I really wanted to racewalk in college but it's in the NAIA, not the NCAA," Fox said. "I was looking into results for the NAIA nationals and I saw the University of British Columbia. The school also has a racewalking background (and) two former Canadian Olympians."

The meet drew teams from Virginia and New England. One of the longest trips came from Mount Ararat High in Topsham, Maine.

"We have a two-week window where Bowdoin College has all college meets," said Stu Palma, an assistant coach.  

Mount Ararat sophomore Lisandro Berry-Gavira won the boys invitational 2-mile in 9:35.95.

Young Women's Leadership Academy NY won the sprint medley relay in 4:10.63, beating PSAL rival Paul Robeson (4:11.79), as anchor Shayla Sanders caught Robeson with a 2:16 800-meter leg. 

Bethleem Central NY senior Jack Huber won the boys 1,000 meters in 2:32.05 over St. Francis Prep senior Zalen Nelson (2:32.67).

"The goal was to run 2:30," Huber said. "Between 600 and 800 I let some other people take over the race (but) I was able to close fast."

Gill St. Bernard senior C.J. Licata won the shot put with a meet-record 61-6.