Lots of different folks had different reasons to be there. Ultimately, though, the shared reason was track and field. And they got a good dose of it at Wednesday's running of the first-ever meet in the Valor Twilight series.
For athletes like Alexis Carroll, Mary Gillett, Quinn McConnell, Tanner Norman, and the Denver South boys 4x800, it was an opportunity to stay meet sharp in advance of New Balance Nationals or Brooks PR. For others, it was simply a chance to compete, to refine the art.
Mary Gillett stayed the busiest of just about anyone there, finishing second in the 100, first in the 200, and first again in the long jump. Norman and McConnell doubled the 1500 and 800 (which were scheduled as back-to-back events). McConnell's decision to run the 800, however, was a late one--a fact which may account for her absence from the results.
Denver South's Nick Borne battled Norman in breathtaking fashion for the first 1300 meters of the 1500--even appearing as if he might take the lead on the back straight of the final lap--before the Borne train ran out of coal. Norman ended up taking the win at 4:04.2.
Other familiar names capturing event titles included Colin Borner, Erika Willis, Dmitrius Brooks, Sarah Cerrone, and Deshaun Stevens. And, though her name is not yet as familiar in the high school circles, it soon might be if Jordan Bryant keeps hurdling like she did Wednesday evening.
A sensor failure in the timing system relegated all times to hand times. 1500 and 800 times were posted to the MileSplit database, as were field events marks not requiring wind readings.
The next meet in the Valor Twilight series happens same time, same place next Wednesday.