Katie Michta had her best race in the biggest meet of her career as she won the 1,500-meter racewalk at the New York State indoor track championships held at Cornell University’s Barton Hall fieldhouse.
Michta led wire-to-wire and broke away from the field in lap two as she raced to a career-indoor best 6:49.94.
Sachem coach Alex Young asked the beaming Sachem North senior how she felt after the race. Michta responded, “I feel great!”
Katie had a great race as she executed a race plan to take the race out hard and break away from the pack by mid-race. Her time moves her up to No. 14 all-time in U.S. high school rankings and improves her nation-leading mark this season. Katie received her first place medal from older sister and 2012 Olympic racewalk Maria Michta.
Alyssa Leto tied Suffolk County’s 55 meter dash record with an outstanding series of races in trials, semi-final and final rounds of the sprint race. The three races took place in a one hour time span. Alyssa’s prepared for each race with warm-ups, drills and starting block work. Alyssa advanced easily in trials (7.27) as she placed second in her heat and moved on to semis as an automatic qualifier.
Alyssa’s race in semis was not expected to be as easy. Pre-race jitters were seen as one of the top-seeds in the race false-started in Alyssa’s heat. Alyssa maintained her focus and raced to a 7.21 setting up her finals race. Alyssa’s reaction time to the starter’s pistol was among the fastest of all sprinters today and her start in finals put her out with the race leaders.
Alyssa placed third with her 7.17 time in finals. The time tied the Suffolk County record (set by Commack’s Colby Lubman in 2010) and broke the Sachem record of 7.20 set by Alyssa a week ago at the Long Island Track & Field Invitational.
Senior Sunja Joseph became the third Sachem athlete on a medal podium as she placed eighth in Federations with her 17’ 4 ¾” leap in long jump. Junior Nikki Fogarty ran an 8.94 in the trials round of 55 meter hurdles.