Varsity track and field compete in meet against Rowland and Los Altos

Bruce Nguyen, Staff writer
April 25, 2023

Walnut varsity track and field challenged both Rowland and Los Altos in the Ken Gunn Stadium April 13, showing an exceptional performance with the Walnut varsity boys and girls scoring  in the top 5 in almost all the events.

The following successful track and field events would be the short to long distance meter sprints, in which many Walnut athletes participated and scored points in. These races were noticeably more difficult because Walnut was against both Rowland and Los Altos runners.

 “[In the 1600 meter race] my pacing [did] fall off on the third lap, but I made up for it on the fourth lap,” varsity athlete senior Caleb Bosanko said. “I think I did alright. It wasn’t my best but it was a good time.he kick was fun in the run and everyone was super encouraging.”

As there were multiple contenders, many athletes from all three schools raced in many different events pushing themselves past their limits.

“I did as I expected [in the 800 meter race]. It’s hard to run your second event after you went all out in your first event,” varsity athlete junior Dean Peiten said. “I enjoy having a good start and getting ahead early and in the last 100 meters when everyone is cheering [for you]. It was a good experience.”

With the Mustangs racing against Rowland and Los Altos, there were many neck to neck races. As the distance shortened, the crowd got louder as the races became even closer.

“It feels really good to win because [the 400 meter sprint] is one of the most rewarding runs, even though it demands the most,” varsity athlete senior Florencio Muro said. “So when you get a good time, get first or score, you know \e you did good  [because you] found things to improve on.”

The event that is the most popular in track and field is the 100 meter sprint, an event that focuses on quick bursts of speed and force. 

“I felt pretty good in the events I participated in. I think my best one was the 100 meter. I had a better start this time and it definitely felt better,” varsity athlete junior Jonathan Crawford said. “I did go against more challenging people this time but it felt pretty good to win. I feel I can do better next time.” 

Walnut excelled in many events in this track and field meet which includes most track events like the 100, 200, 300 meter sprints and most field events like the long jump, high jump, and more. 

“I was pretty pumped when the coach told me I hit 213.5 inches [in my long jump because] that’s a new PR(personal record) . My last PR was 211 [inches] so I [felt] pretty cool,” varsity athlete senior Phil Cotton said. “You know when I had gone back to the coach [he said] ‘did you hear the mark.’ Then he told me and it was a pretty cool moment. I am looking forward to improving on it [at the] SUV championships and hopefully go further too.”