Hays Striders Track Club
Three Hays runners were in competition at the New Balance Nationals held at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 18 - 20.
Brady Holecek, Robbie Readle, and Gavyn Wolf, who ran for Hays Middle School this past school year and now run for the Hays Striders during the summer; all made the trip for the elite competition.
The meet is the largest and most competitive national middle and high school championship in the US.
Holecek qualified in the 400 meter dash with a time of xx:xx to exceed the automatic qualifying standard. At New Balance Holecek ran 52.17 to finish in 21st place.
Readle qualified in the 800 meter run. His qualifying time was 2:08.09 which he set at the AAU District Qualifier in Topeka on June 6. At New Balance, Readle ran 2:06.90, a personal best, to take 50th place.
Wolf qualified in the 200 meter dash. His qualifying time was 24:15 which was set at the AAU District Qualifier in Topeka on June 6. Wolf ran 23.97, a personal best, at Franklin Field for a 53rd place.
Hays Striders coach Dave Haberman said “These three athletes are part of the future of track and field in Hays.
Their qualification for New Balance is a great testament to the dedication of not only these athletes, but their coaches at Hays Middle School and also Striders. Plus,” Haberman added, “It’s a testament to their families who made the sacrifice to travel to Philadelphia. New Balance is an elite meet and a hub for college recruiting.”
Franklin Field is one of the most historic sports venues in the United States, stretching back to the 19th century. Located on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia it is widely recognized as the oldest college football stadium in the nation.
It’s also the birthplace and home of the Penn Relays, which is the oldest annual track meet in the U.S. Notable track athletes who have run at Franklin Field include Jesse Owens, Roger Bannister, Bob Beamon, Wilma Rudolph, Marion Jones, and Usain Bolt.
Both Readle and Wolf will be in action this weekend at the AAU Regional Qualifier where the Top 6 move on to the Junior Olympics in Des Moines, Iowa.