Sports Archives — The Altamont Enterprise, June 16, 2011
Ten area athletes compete at state meet
Abelseth leads the way with her wheels
By Jordan J. Michael
Caitlin Abelseth is fast. She saved her best for last.
The Voorheesville senior competed in her final scholastic 400-meter run at the State Meet in Caledonia last weekend and finished in sixth with a personal-best time of 58.13. She came into the event seeded sixth.
Abelseth said that she was “just trying for a personal record” instead of attempting to win the race. She was 1.11 seconds behind the winner, Skylar Pastor, an eighth-grader from South Jefferson.
“I didn’t think that I could win, but I’m happy,” said Abelseth, who was disappointed with her 13th-place finish in the same event last year. “I did really awful last time,” she said. “So, this year, I really tried to focus on the race.”
Abelseth isn’t finished running competitively. She’ll join a Division I track team at Providence College next fall, running the 400, 200, and 800. “I want to break into 57 seconds in the 400,” she said.
Providence was the clear choice for Ableseth because “they’re hardcore and known for running,” she said. Abelseth is excited for the school’s facilities –– which include a training room with hot and cold baths, personal trainers, and a dormitory for track athletes.
Abelseth will receive a training packet from Providence in about a week. “I’ll be working out all summer, but it shouldn’t take away from any fun,” she said. “I’ll just see what this packet holds and I’ll know exactly what to do.”
Entering Providence as an undecided major, Abelseth said she has interests in business or psychology. Her true-life goal is working for Nike.
“I love to win, do well,” said Abelseth of running track. “Being in shape is a great feeling. I feel bad if I don’t go out and run.”
Other results
Nine other area athletes contended in Caledonia last weekend.
Senior Brandon Kallner of Berne-Knox-Westerlo placed 10th in the pentathlon with 3,103 points over five events. He won the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.32 and was 10th in the shot put with a throw of 37 feet.
Guilderland junior Catalena Diamente competed in two separate events –– triple jump and high jump. She was seventh in triple jump with 37 feet, 2-and-a-half inches, and 19th in the high jump at 5 feet.
Vinny Saccocio of Voorheesville and Ben Becker of BKW were going head-to-head in the pole-vault event. The bar was raised a foot at a time, compared to the normal of six inches at a time. Saccocio and Becker tied for 26th, each clearing 12 feet.
Senior Tim Stewart of Voorheesville was 27th in the high jump competition, clearing six feet.
The BKW 3200-meter relay team of Connor Devine, Sean Reynolds, Derek Struck, and Adam Forti placed 30th with a time of 8:19.26.