Goin' for the Gold: Hurl hunts for USATF 1,500 age-group title
It is said the apple does not fall far from the tree.
That aphorism embodies rising distance running star Hunter Hurl who will compete in United States Track and Field (USATF) National Junior Olympic Championships that began Monday and runs through Sunday at Rock Chalk Park, Kansas.
Hunter’s father, Jeremy, the cross country coach at Duniway Middle School, took up the sport to keep up with his now wife, then girlfriend, who had run several marathons.
“I had not competed in any running events through my mid-20s – she inspired me to do so,” he said via email.
It would seem Hunter has been around distance running since he was in diapers.
But now it is the younger Hurl who is doing the inspiring. At eight-years-old he has been running in the 9-10 year old bracket, competing against some runners who are two grades ahead of him in school.
“His birthday is close to the cutoff date – he could be running in the 8 and under group. We were concerned when he moved to the 9-10 age group when the season started, but so far, everything has worked out well,” the senior Hurl noted.
If Hunter was still running in the eight and under age group, he would have one of the top five times in the nation for the age group in the 1,500-meter run. As it is, he won the state meet for 1500-meters by 17 seconds over the second place finisher – more than half a lap. His time is still the best in the state by 14 seconds for the age group and distance.
At the regional championship in Spokane two weeks ago, Hunter finished third with a 5:28.76 time. Though the winner was nine seconds ahead of Hunter at the tape, the future Grizzly was 23 seconds slower on paper entering the event. His time is in the top 35 in the United States entering the national race this week and Jeremy added, “Anything can happen since these kids have not raced against each other previously.”
In a tune-up race for the national event, last weekend at Linfield, Hunter turned in another personal best in the 1500-meter run, breaking the tape at 5:24.93, also winning the event.
Hurl, the dad, credits Hunter’s dedicated coaches in Deven Paolo, Audrey Lichten, and John Spencer for many of his accomplishments, but also noted, “Hunter's success is enjoying running and the continued improvement and development he is going through as he continues to set personal bests as the season has progresses. He has goals and times he is always looking to achieve, and he consistently is working to break his older teammate’s records and times.”
Both Jeremy and his wife have qualified for the Boston Marathon and hope to race in the event next April.
Among distance racers, the saying goes, “The family that races together stays together.”
Nothing is truer for the Hurls.
Results from USTAF Regional Championships, Spokane, WA
400 Meters:
Mens 8U: 5. Jackson Lewis, McMinnville Track, 1:23.75
800 Meters:
Mens 8U: 3. Jackson Lewis, McMinnville Track, 2:59.46 PR
Mens 9-10: 6. Hunter Hurl, McMinnville Track, 2:41.56 PR
Mens 11-12: 15. Logan Hayes, McMinnville Track, 2:46.15;
Mens 17-18: 4. Shane Davis, McMinnville Track, 2:03.02
Womens 13-14: 8. Emerson Grell, McMinnville Track, 2:35.50
1500 Meters:
Mens 8U: 3. Jackson Lewis, McMinnville Track, 6:08.09
Mens 11-12: 5. Kyle Spencer, McMinnville Track, 5-6.75 PR;
Mens 13-14: 3. Marcus Graham, McMinnville Track, 4:40.59;
Mens 17-18: 8. Ethan Dinan, McMinnville Track, 5:29.64;
Womens 13-14: 9. Emerson Grell, McMinnville Track, 5:12.92
3000 Meters
Mens 11-12: 2. Kyle Spencer, McMinnville Track, 10:52.78
Mens 13-13: 2. Marcus Graham, McMinnville Track, 9:53.44 PR
Mens 17-18: 5. Dylan Schmidt, McMinnville Track, 10:41.13; 8. Ethan Dinan, McMinnville Track, 12:22.58
400M hurdles
Womens 15-16: 12. Anna Glawe, McMinnville Track, 1:19.19 PR
4x400 Relay:
Mens 11-12: 2. McMinnville Track, Thomas Franz, Oliver Volt, Logan Hayes, Kasen Paolo, 5:12.39
Mens 17-18: 5. McMinnville Track, Steven Davis, Dylan Schmidt, Shane Davis, William Payton, 3:42.91
Triathlon Score:
Mens 9-10: 9. McKinley Hays, McMinnville Track, 120
High Jump:
Mens 9-10: tie 10. Hunter Hurl. McMinnville Track, 1.0 meters
Mens 17-18: Steven Davis, McMinnville Track, 1.80 meters PR
Shot Put:
Mens 17-18: 8. Geoffrey Bishop, McMinnville Track, 10.04 meters
Discus:
Mens 17-18: 9. Geoffrey Bishop, McMinnville Track, 34.69 meters
Results from West Coast Invite, Linfield College, McMinnville, Oregon
100 Meters:
9-10 Prelims: 2. Keller Shea, McMinnville Track, 15.77; 4. McKinley Hayes, McMinnville Track, 16.82
11-12 Prelims: 6. Logan Hayes, McMinnville Track, 15:01
15-16 finals: 3. Keegan Elkins, McMinnville Track, 11:90; Jackson Siefken, McMinnville Track, 12.52;
13-14: Simone Mushombe, McMinnville Track,13.93 PR;
Womens 9-10 Prelims: 7. Marley Darling Peterson. McMinnville Track, 16.71 PR;
Womens 15-16 Prelims: 8. Gillian Martino, McMinnville Track, 13.70;
200 Meters
Mens 17-18: 7. William Payton, McMinnville Track, 23.23 PR;
Mens 9-10 Prelims: 2. Keller Shea, 33.25 PR; 5. McKinley Hays, McMinnville Track, 35.67
Mens 11-12 Prelims: 5. Logan Hayes, McMinnville Track, 31.13;
Mens 13-14 Prelims: 2. Simone Mushombe, McMinnville Track, 24.61 PR;
Mens 15-15 Prelims: 1. Keegan Elkins, McMinnville Track, 24.69; 4. Jackson Siefken, McMinnville Track, 25.27;
Womens 13-14: 5. Alliyea Williams, McMinnville Track, 29.24;
Womens 15-16: 4. Gillian Martino, McMinnville Track, 28.46;
400 Meters:
Mens 8U: 3. Jackson Lewis, McMinnville Track, 1:23.76;
Mens 11-12: 2. Logan Hayes, McMinnville Track, 1:12.10
Mens 13-14: 1. Simon Mushombe, McMinnville Track, 58.49
Mens 15-16: 6. Logan Yates, McMinnville Track, 58.22
Mens 17-18: 1. William Payton, McMinnville Track, 51.11 PR; 5. Shane Davis52.70 PR;
Womens 13-14: 3. Alliyea Williams, 1:05.26;
800 Meters:
Mens 8U:1. Jackson Lewis, McMinnville Track, 3:05.24; 2. Henry Barsotti, 3:17.60 PR;
Mens 9-10: 1. Hunter Hurl, McMinnville Track, 2:46.40;
Mens 11-12: 1. Jack Linder, McMinnville Track, 2:45.99;
1500 Meters
Mens 8U: 2. Jackson Lewis, McMinnville Track, 5:59.63 PR; 3. Henry Barsotti, McMinnville Track, 6:06.33 PT;
Mens 11-12: 2. Kasen Paolo, McMinnville Track, 5:27.06; 3. Jack Linder, McMinnville Track, 5:32.45 PR; 4. Samuel King, 5:32.16; McMinnville Track,
Mens 13-14: 2. Marcus Graham. McMinnville Track, 4:51.61; 5. Kellen Reed, McMinnville Track, 4:54. 15;
Mens 17-18: 1. Dylan Schmidt, McMinnville Track, 4:39.95 PR;
Womens 15-16: 2. Grace Armstrong, McMinnville Track, 2:40.25 PR;
3000 meters
Mens 11-12: 1. Kasen Paolo, McMinnville Track, 11:24.36; 2. Oliver Volt, McMinnville Track, 12:17. 41 PR; Samuel King, McMinnville Track, 12:30.48;
Mens 13-14: 2. Marcus Graham, McMinnville Track, 10:05.78; 4 Kellen Reed, McMinnville Track, 10:31.66;
80 M Hurdles:
Womens 11-12: 2. Angelique Daley, Amity Track, 15.52 PR;
100 Hurdles:
Womens 15-16: 7. Anna Glawe, McMinnville Track,19.35 PR;
110 M Hurdles
Mens 17-18: 4. Steven Davis, McMinnville Track, 17.03;
400 Meter Hurdles:
Womens 15-16: Anna Glawe, McMinnville Track, 1:21.51;
12 LB Shot Put:
4KG Shot Put:
Womens 17-18: Kalea Salang, Amity Track, 9.56 meters;
Mens 15-16; 3. Benjamin Hayes, Amity Track, 11.63 meters;
Discus:
Mens 15-16: 3. Benjamin Hayes, Amity Track, 36.37 Meters PR;
Mens 17-18: 2. Geoffrey Bishop, McMinnville Track, 36.03 meters; 4. Tyler Parr, Amity Track, 29.99 meters;
Womens 13-14: 1. Riley Stearns, Amity Track, 30.46 meters;
Womens 17-18: 3. Kalea Salang, Amity Track, 32.00 Meters;
Javelin:
Mens 8U: Gavin Rosenast, Amity Track, 11.98 meters PR;
Mens 9-10: 1. Mason Rosenast, Amity Track, 21.15 meters; 4. Zayden Walter, McMinnville Track, 13.15 meters;
Mens 15-16: 1. Benjamin Hayes, Amity Track, 41.72 meters PR;
Mens 17-18: Tyler Parr, Amity Track, 46.22 meters;
Womens 9-10: 3. Riley Vanderzanden, Amity Track, 15:34 meters; 7. Kira Jones, Amity Track, 12.21 meters;
Womens 11-12: 5. Kyla Jones, Amity Track, 14.82 meters;
Womens 14-14; 3. Riley Stearns, Amity Track, 24.02 meters;
High Jump:
Mens 9-10: 2. Hunter Hurl, McMinnville Track, 1.00 meter; 3. McKinley Hayes, McMinnville Track, 1.0 meter PR;
Mens 13-14: 1. Marcus Graham, McMinnville Track, 1.35 meters, PR;
Mens 17-18: 3. Steve Davis, McMinnville Track, 1.75 meters;
Womens 11-12: Angelique Daley, Amity Track, 1.30 meters;
Womens 13-14: Gabriella King, McMinnville Track, 1.20 meters PR;
Long Jump:
Mens 8U: 3. Henry Barsotti, McMinnville Track, 2.36 meters PR;
Mens 9-10: 4. Jaxson Howard, Amity Track, 3.06 meters;
Womens 9-10: 2. Marley Darling Peterson, McMinnville Track, 2.86 meters PR;
Triple Jump:
Mens 15-16: Benjamin Hayes, Amity Track, 9.67 meters;
Hammer
Mens 17-18: 2. Tyler Parr, Amity Track, 26.63 meters;
Womens 17-18: 4. Kalea Salang, Amity Track, 35.08 meters PR;
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