Nico Colchico’s kick gave him the victory on the homestretch. Photo by Kevin Neri
Nico Colchico used a sprint in the final 100 meters to win the boys’ 800 meters with a personal record of 1 minutes, 54.26 seconds Saturday afternoon at the Oregon Relays.
Colchico, who came to Hayward Field from Wilson High School in Long Beach, Calif., was slightly behind Carter Cutting and John Schuler and battling for position coming into the final 100 meters of the race. He found an extra gear to pass Schuler and Cutting on his way to a margin of victory that was just 0.19 of a second.
“It was a physical race,” Colchico said. “I just knew I had to stay the course and I could pull away in the last 100.”
Colchico’s win and new personal record come on the same day that he also placed second in the 1 mile varsity with a new personal record of 4:11.25.
“I’m excited about where I am,” said Colchico. “But I want to get my mile down to 4 minutes and 800 down to 1:45. Just keep pushing myself as much as possible.”
