Liz Mielke breaks 29-year-old record in track
By Adam Knoll
Sports correspondent
Liz Mielke has come close all season, yet this past Friday, the record was finally hers. Mielke broke the 29-year-old school record in the 3,200-meter run during the Fort Invite that both the boys and girls Whitewater High School track teams competed in. Previously, the record was held by Amy Cooper, set in 1985.
“Liz took control of the race early and never let up,” Whitewater coach John Houwers after the meet. “She won the race by 50 seconds, never being challenged by the field. Liz has worked incredibly hard over the last four years and overcome a number of injuries. This is a well-deserved and hard-earned honor for her.”
Whitewater High School’s cross country coach Chad Carstens agreed.
“Liz is extremely disciplined in her pursuit of her season goals. This performance was no surprise to me or anyone else who has seen Liz work on improving herself day after day,” Carstens said.
Both teams fare well
Overall, the boys took third place and the girls took fourth in the Fort Invite. Mielke, the only event winner for the girls team, helped Dani Dolan, Jacquelyn Caldwell, and Sarah Ziolkowski take second place in the 4×800 relay.
Dolan also performed well in the long jump, leaping a season best 16-feet, 1-inch, taking second place. Kailey Reynolds was also second in the 100-meter dash.
The boys team won a few individual competitions on the day starting with Brad Stoll and Joe Bullis with Stoll winning two events – the shotput and discus.
“Brad has proven to be very consistent this season,” Houwers, “…and a very reliable source of points for the team.”
Bullis ran well in the Invite, claiming a season best in the 300 hurdles and recording a great time as the anchor on the second place 4×400 relay with Anthony Juoni, Brett Harms, and Ashton Caputo.
Caputo ran strong in two 400-meter races, finishing 52.43 in the open 400, which was a personal best, and good enough for a second place finish.
“Ashton is really starting to come around in the 400 and is running very solid times,” Houwers said.
