By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Two local distance runners broke state records at the Class 3A track and field state championship meet on Saturday at the University of Kentucky, but only one came home with a gold medal.
Cooper junior Paul Van Laningham won the boys 1600-meter run in 4:08.23 to set a new state record in that event. He added that gold medal to the ones he received for winning the Class 3A boys state country meet and finishing first in the 1600 run in the Class 3A boys indoor state track meet this school year.
In the girls 800 run, the top two finishers eclipsed the previous state record, but Louisville Assumption junior Mabel George edged Campbell County senior Olivia Holbrook at the line. Their times were 2:09.42 and 2:09.45.
Five of the top eight finishers in the 800 run were state qualifiers from Northern Kentucky. Conner junior Avery Van Landingham placed fifth, followed by Campbell County junior Aiden Christopher, Notre Dame senior Cameron Kirtley and Notre Dame sophomore Norah Barker.
Holbrook and Christopher were members of the Campbell County 4×800 relay team that opened the state meet with a second-place finish.
Notre Dame senior Ella Goetz won the girls shot put with a personal-best mark of 39 feet, 9 inches. She did not compete in last year’s state meet after placing sixth as a sophomore and third as a freshman in the shot put.
Dixie Heights sophomore Ari Carter, who won the girls discus event in last year’s state meet, finished second on Saturday. One of the third-place finishers was Simon Kenton junior Alexis Howard in the long jump, an event she won last year.
The Class 3A team champions were Louisville Assumption girls and Louisville Trinity boys. Campbell County and Dixie Heights placed seventh and eighth in the girls team standings. There were no local teams among the boys top 10 scores.
Complete results from the Class 3A state meet are posted on the khsaa.org website.
Top local finishers in Class 3A state track meet
FIRST PLACE
1600 run (boys) — Paul Van Laningham (Cooper) 4:08.23 (state record).
Shot put (girls) — Ella Goetz (Notre Dame) 39-9.
SECOND PLACE
4×800 relay (girls) — Campbell County (Olivia Holbrook, Lila Dunlevy, Aidan Christopher, Allison McKee) 9:22.46.
800 run (girls) — Olivia Holbrook (Campbell County) 2:09.45.
Discus (girls) — Ari Carter (Dixie Heights) 124-10.
THIRD PLACE
Long jump (girls) — Alexis Howard (Simon Kenton) 17-10.75
Triple jump (girls) — Tatjana Andracenk (Dixie Heights) 36-4.75
High jump (boys) — Brayden Polly (Simon Kenton) 6-4