Spartan Track&Field 2018

Elliot+Alexander+during+the+100m+hurdles+event.+

Elliot Alexander during the 100m hurdles event.

The Spartan track and field athletes are off and running once again in the 2018 season, and there has been nothing short of success. To kick off the season, the Spartans took first at the Wesleyan Indoor meet which was a huge feat for the team, the girls team also took first at the Harold Scott Invite on April 20th. There is a lot of new and returning talent on the team this year to help out and both the boys and girls teams have experienced great success so far.

A couple of weeks later at the Kearney Invitational, the Spartans did not disappoint with Elly Harter finishing third in the 200 meter dash. Crushing the previous standing school record the new record is now 26.06 seconds. Elliot Alexander won both the 110 meter and the 300 meter high hurdles. The girls team also finished second by only one point at the Papillion-South Invite(Titan Classic).

Olivia Smith, a senior,has been running track all four years here at East,competing in the one mile and two mile events. Olivia gave me her take on her four years of track experience and reflected on some of her favorite memories.

“This year we have a ton of new and returning talent this season which is really beneficial because this year we are super good and next year and years to come we know that we can continue to perform well,” Says Smith, “Winning our first meet of the season was really good because it’s been a while since we’ve won a meet and it feels really good.”

On her favorite memories Smith talked a lot about was coming up through the ranks starting out as a freshman and being taken under the upperclassmen wing to help further improve her running.

“I really liked being part of a fun community and it was a great experience as a freshman,” says Smith

As a sophomore, Smith qualified for state in the two mile event which was a marque moment for her career. Since then, Smith qualified for state again and was able to step into some more leadership positions.

“Some of my favorite things about this season are how close we have become and going out to more team dinners and spending more time together.” Smith reiterated that winning isn’t everything but taking first at the meet at the beginning of the season was also one of the big highlights for her.

Another athlete that has shown lots of potential to do well at state this year is junior Blake Ingamells. Running track for the past three years in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m sprints, Ingamells has patiently waited his turn to break out after last year’s senior class had a lot of talent and carried the team.  Ingamells is experiencing his best season yet, having come in second at one meet and medaling at all the other meets so far,which means he will finish in the top six in the field of his event. He runs track as a way to stay in shape for football season in the fall and is looking forward to qualifying for state at districts, which requires coming in third to be able to compete at the state meet.

You can catch the East track team catch the Spartans at state held at Burke Stadium in Omaha on Friday and Saturday May 18 and 19.

Runners from the Lincoln East girls track team after coming finishing runner up at the Papillion LaVista South Invite.
Elliot Alexander during the 100m hurdles event.
Olivia Smith (middle) and friends after finishing the 3200m run.