Ahmed Wins Mile at Eddy Memorial Meet in New York

By Brian Towey of DyeStat

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- Sitting deep in fifth place in the boys mile with 500 meters to go at Saturday's 78th William F. Eddy, Jr, Memorial Meet, Schenectady NY senior Maazin Ahmed appeared a long shot to win.

But he made a late burst and gained on each runner ahead of him, one by one.  

RESULTS

Under falling rain, Ahmed won Saturday in 4:21.80 over Niskayuna's Donovan Tucker (4:22.44). At Schenectady, an inner-city school with a sprint tradition, Ahmed, who will run at Georgetown next year, spoke about the impact the track team has had on a school which has suffered unfairly with its reputation.

"The teachers we have are models for us," Ahmed said. "I have teachers who bring in food for kids, bring in clothes, stay till 6 o'clock. ... I'm happy I went to Schenectady."

Schenectady has never had a middle-distance runner of Ahmed's caliber. A 4:14 1,600-meter runner, he appeared in the NYRR Millrose Games and Penn Relays miles.

"It's a city school so we don't have many distance runners," said Schenectady distance coach Ed Menis of Ahmed.

Added Schenectady sprint coach Joe Bennett: "(Now) our runners see it's not just the 100 and 200 meters. (They appreciate) the upper distances."

Ahmed qualified May 15 for the New Balance Nationals Outdoor 5,000 meters with his 9:13.82 for 3,200 at the Suburban Council Championships. Schenectady also holds an NBNO sprint medley-relay qualifier from its 3:32.63 win Feb. 15 at the North Shore High School Pre-National Invitational, with Ahmed, Keegan Cochrane, Trebor Davis and Lamont Walters.

Tully NY freshman Brooke Rauber ran a US#2 1,500 meters of 4:28.87 in the rain, defeating South Lewis NY senior Hali Ielfield (4:30.28) and West Genesee NY senior Carly Benson (4:36.42), closing with a 69-second final quarter.

"I thought she could run 4:35, but I never imagined 4:28," said Rauber's mother and coach, Michelle Rauber.

"She did her first indoor season this winter. She couldn't do basketball this year after the cross country season schedule. And we did weight lifting. That's given her a lot of strength."

Saratoga Springs NY junior Kelsey Chmiel won the girls 3,000 meters in US#2 9:29.28.

Iroquois NY senior Rachel Donner was named the Girls Outstanding Performer for the meet after winning the shot put (42-3) and discus (133-0).

"The shot put has always been my event but I've improved a lot in the discus this year," said Donner, who will throw at Dartmouth next year. "I changed from a glider to a spinner in the shot and the motion is similar to the discus."

Niskayuna NY won the girls 4x400 meter relay in 3:56.52.