Submitted by Beacon Academy
On May 17 four Beacon Academy track athletes ran the fastest 4×400 meter race in school history at the Chicago Hope Academy Track and Field meet. The time of 3:39.48 was good for second place and an automatic bid to Eastern Illinois University, home of the Illinois High School Association state track meet.
The relay team – made up of junior Lucas Harriott, senior Gabe Shapps, junior Ian Parsons and two-time All-State senior Julian Aske – entered the final leg in sixth place. The entire race was back and forth between the second- and fourth-place teams. Beacon persevered with all four runners setting personal records along the way.
What made this victory more exciting was how the crowded field warmed up to the Beacon runners after the race. Several other student-athletes joined the celebration while chanting the soccer cadence, “Ole, ole, ole, ole!”
“As the four seed, we shocked everyone with our performance, including myself,” said coach James Weissensel. “It was an exhilarating race all the way down to the finish. It was a great performance for our community.”
This will be the second time this group heads to Charleston, after not medaling last year. The group is very motivated to redeem themselves.
Aske also dominated the field throughout the 800 meter, race finishing with a 2:01.98 time, a full 5 seconds ahead of the next runner. This was also 9 seconds off his personal best. The objective going into the race was to do what needed to be done and advance. He did just that.
The group will train through the weekend before departing Wednesday, May 24, for the state championships.
thanks for the kind article – Gabe Shapps(second leg of the 4×4)