Mantecon Outkicks Caden Leonard to Win 2 Mile; West III Jumps 25-9.50; Proskin Repeats As Pentathlon Champion

By Oliver Hinson of DyeStat

Photos by Evan Poulsen

RESULTS/VIDEOS | INTERVIEWS

NEW YORK — Forty laps of racing is apparently not enough to take the kick out of Marcelo Mantecon.

Less than 24 hours after winning a national title in the 5,000 meters, the Belen Jesuit FL junior stepped to the line for the 2 mile championship on Friday afternoon at Nike Indoor Nationals. Just as he did on Thursday, Mantecon dropped 28-second splits on both of his final laps to outkick Caden Leonard (Southlake Carroll TX) and break the tape in 8:48.02, earning his second national title of the weekend.

He was able to get a good night's sleep and stay off his feet up until the race, but there was certainly an element of faith that played a part in Mantecon's win.

"I woke up pretty sore from the 5k," Mantecon said. "It beat me up a lot. But I trusted in God, and I knew what my body could do."

Looking at elite guys like Leonard, Ben Adams (Mountain Vista CO) and Paul Van Laningham (Cooper KY) on the start line, Mantecon didn't have any kind of strategy going in, but he knew that it would be a tactical race and that it would take one heck of a performance to win.

He was certainly right on the first count; they came through the mile in just over 4:35, and there was plenty of jostling along the way. Mantecon didn't mind.

"It's racing... that's how it is, you can't be mad at it," Mantecon said. "If I don't die, I'm good."

He was also right on the second count. He and Leonard traded places multiple times over the last few times, as the Texas senior gave all he had in pursuit of his first national title. Leonard has come close so many times; in both of the last two years, he's taken third at Nike Cross Nationals. For a brief moment, it looked like his search would end, but Mantecon's kick proved unbeatable.

Joseph West III Soars to Top-10 All-Time in Long Jump

After missing his entire junior outdoor season to a fractured pelvis, Joseph West III (Round Rock TX) was determined to put up some big performances this season.

West III has been unbeatable this season in the long jump, winning all three of his competitions and jumping at least 24 feet in all of them. On Friday, he went even further, leaping 25-9.50 to take the win and earn No. 5 all-time status. 

"I really couldn't wait to get back (to competing)," West III said. "I feel at home on the track and in the sand."

The biggest point of emphasis in his training this year, he said, has been his landing. That extra practice paid off in his winning jump.

"I usually collapse when I land and I hit the ground immediately," West III said. "On that jump, I really emphasized holding in the air and then taking my time to get to the ground."

Meanwhile, in the boys pentathlon, Owen Proskin (Plum PA) stood atop the podium for the second straight year.

Proskin won two of five events on the boys' side and scored 3,816 points, an improvement upon his total of 3,724 from last year.

"I still feel like I had a lot of room to improve, but at the same time, I definitely came out swinging," Proskin said. "I still had that 'something to prove' mentality, and I was able to put a full day together."

Proskin said he still has room to get better in the hurdles and the long jump (he ran 8.21 and jumped 21-4), but he was pleased with his shot put and high jump performances (he threw 44-9.50 and jumped 6-4.75).

The boys 400 saw a thrilling final heat, as all four runners were separated by four tenths of a second — but none of them won. Joshua Shelton (Pearland TX) won from the second-to-last heat with a time of 47.80 seconds.

Shelton knew he had a quick time — relative to the competition, at least — but being in the penultimate heat means having to wait around for the results, and that wait wasn't easy.

“It was a heart-stopper,” Shelton said. “I wasn’t with them… I was just hoping (my time) didn’t get beat.”

Shelton, who trains with the APXP club in Texas, is part of one of the best training groups in high school track, featuring the Maxwell twins and several other high-caliber sprinters. 

“The whole team is go-getters… we know what it is,” Shelton said. “You want to win or you don’t. You either cry at practice or cry at nationals.”

With his first national title under his belt, the senior certainly won’t be crying this weekend.

Other highlights from Day 2 at Nike Indoor Nationals:

- McCallie TN cruised to a win in the 4xMile relay, breaking the tape in 17:18.13. Anchor Andrew Beroset split a 4:13 anchor leg.

- DeMatha Catholic MD stopped Bishop McNamara MD from sweeping the 4x200 meter relays, running 1:27.28 to beat McNamara by eight tenths of a second.

- Irvington NJ won the shuttle hurdle relay with a time of 30.83 seconds.

- Calvert Hall TC MD won the sprint medley relay to end the day's championship events, running 3:32.13.