Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

March 1

TRACK AND FIELD: Brown may try 1,000 at New Englands

By Travis Lazarczyk tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

Waterville Senior High School distance standout Bethanie Brown qualified to compete in three events in the New England Interscholastic Indoor Track and Field Championships. Whether or not Brown competes in all three won’t be decided until Saturday.

“I’m not sure what I’ll do yet,” Brown, who set Class B state records in the mile and 2-mile last week, said. “I signed up for everything so I’d have the option.”

Brown is one of seven Waterville athletes who qualified for the meet, to be held today at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Boston. In all, 16 athletes representing eight central Maine schools will represent Maine at the meet.

Brown is the top seed in the 2-mile and is seeded third in the mile, but the event that piques her interest the most is the 1,000 meter-run. The event replaces the 800, in which Brown finished second at the state meet. Brown is seeded 11th in the 1,000.

“I’m curious to try out the 1,000. I’ve never run it before,” Brown, who will run for the University of Connecticut next year, said. “New Englands is the time to try an event against fast girls from other states and just see how you do. There’s no pressure at this meet. You just have fun and race to race.”

Winslow’s Alliyah Veilleux, who qualified for the 55 meters and the shot put, is making her first trip to the New England indoor meet.

“I’m more excited for the overall experience. I’ve never been (to New Englands),” Veilleux, who will run at Holy Cross next year, said.

Veilleux said she was sick at the end of the high school season and hopes to better her time of 6.48 seconds in the 55 at the state championship meet.

Mt. Blue’s Justin Tracy was the Class A boys state champ in the mile and is seeded seventh in the event at the New England meet.

“The top seed is only eight seconds ahead of me. I think I have a shot,” Tracy said. “I don’t set limits on myself.”

Other central Maine athletes registered for the meet include, from Waterville: Sarah Shoulta (55 hurdles), Kellie Bolduc (55 hurdles), Georgia Bolduc (55), Lydia Roy (600), Rachel Bergeron (shot put) and Devin Burgess (long jump); Messalonskee: Amanda Knight (55, 600), Logan Moses (mile); Erskine: Jade Canak (long jump); Cony: Luke Dang (55, 300); Skowhegan: Brett Gilbert (high jump), Lawrence: Sasha Letourneau (300), Jeremy Frantz (shot put).

Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242
tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com

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