Photos by LISA ROMANCHICK
Eric van der Els didn't just break the mile record at the Danbury Dream Invitational.
He flat out demolished it!
The Brien McMahon senior broke the existing mark by nearly six seconds on Thursday with a near state record and nation No. 5 of 4 minutes, 5.05 seconds. Finishing second overall was Ridgefield's Gabriel Altopp with a personal best of 4:10.04. Glastonbury's Randy Neish was third with a PB of 4:10.59. All three runners dipped under the old record of 4:11.16, set by former Wilton standout Spencer Brown in 2014.
Van der Els came inches from the 2013 state mark of 4:05.04 by one-time Staples great Henry Wynne at the adidas Grand Prix.
In other races, Trumbull's Tyler Gleen won the 800m with a fast 1:52.21 clocking, .01 under his winning time and previous best from the Glenn B. Loucks Games less than two weeks ago.
In the girls' distance medley relay, Coginchaug ran the country's 12th fastest time of 11:55.05. Danbury's Leah Sarkisian copped the 800m with a best of 2:13.18. She won a tightly-contested race that saw six other runners break 2:20.
Elite performances from this session
Girls Highlights
- 800 Meter Run - Leah Sarkisian (Danbury High School) 2:13.18; Mia Nahom (New Milford High School) 2:14.12; Katherine Jasminski (Ridgefield High School) 2:14.20; Julia Hergenrother (Ridgefield High School) 2:15.45; Anna Landler (Ridgefield High School) 2:17.87; Brigit Humphreys (New Milford High School) 2:18.61; Gabriella Prizio (Derby High School) 2:18.91;
- Distance Medley Relay - Coginchaug Regional High School 11:55.05; Tolland High School 12:05.86; Immaculate High School 12:09.47; Greenwich High School 12:11.13; Fairfield Ludlowe 12:20.23;
- Hammer Throw - Erica Belvit (Bloomfield High School) 157-10; Brittany Jones (Bloomfield High School) 152-4; Jesica Litwa (Seymour High School) 130-9; Amanda Howe (Southington High School) 129-10; Lauren Palmer (St. Paul Catholic) 111-0;
Boys Highlights
- Two Mile Run - Dan Nichols (Danbury High School) 9:32.52; Justin Hoelzl (Wilton High School) 9:35.24; Kevin Hazelwood (Brewster) 9:38.47; Bradley Fox (Danbury High School) 9:40.78; Gilmar Barrios (Stamford High School) 9:43.21;
- 800 Meter Run - Tyler Gleen (Trumbull High School) 1:52.21; Terrell Cunningham (Danbury High School) 1:54.63; Jake Roberts (Danbury High School) 1:54.94; Mike Delfay (Brewster) 1:55.69; Ian Bartlett (Fairfield Ludlowe) 1:56.37; Kenny Day (Ridgefield High School) 1:56.85; Charles Kieffer (Fairfield Warde) 1:57.74;
- Hammer Throw - Cj Falcioni (Seymour High School) 154-1;
- One Mile Run - Eric Van Der Els (Brien McMahon High School) 4:05.30; Gabriel Altopp (Ridgefield High School) 4:10.04; Randall Neish (Glastonbury High School) 4:10.59; Zakeer Ahmad(Staples High School) 4:12.02; Armstrong Noonan (Darien High School) 4:12.78; James Lewis (Staples High School) 4:15.87; Aaron Breene (Wilton High School) 4:16.69; Jack Adamski(Danbury High School) 4:17.34; Ian Mickool (Ridgefield High School) 4:18.06; Trevor Reed (Danbury High School) 4:19.01; Ajax Diamandis (Brien McMahon High School) 4:19.33; Michael B. Rautter (New Fairfield High School) 4:19.39; Tim Moore (Danbury High School) 4:25.51;