No. 10: Blackburn's hurdle double gold among top 2017 stories

Tuesday
Jan 2, 2018 at 7:59 PM Jan 2, 2018 at 7:59 PM

Kevin Thompson

Editor's Note: This story appeared in the May 28 Telegram as part of the 2017 state track and field championships in Wichita. Blackburn's double gold in the hurdles was part of The Telegram's 2017 No. 10 Top Sports Stories.

 

WICHITA – From 9:30-10:30 a.m., the track belonged to area hurdlers as area athletes picked up two firsts and three second places.

Carter Blackburn of Holcomb came in with the best time in state in the 110-meter hurdles, and he made good on that mark, taking the Class 4A title in 14.71 seconds.

That was just ahead of runner-up Marshall Faurot of Scott City, who posted a 14.86. Blackburn had run a season-best 14.52 in the Friday preliminaries.

The two friends and rivals used each other for inspiration as they blew over the hurdles in fairly clean races, with Blackburn holding off Faurot’s challenge at the end.

“I started off a little slow,I had those guys beside me pushing me,” Blackburn said. “About halfway through, I told myself I don’t want to lose this one now, so I really pushed through it there and at theend and got the win.”

Blackburn said hie hit a few hurdles, but his steps were on.

“I felt my form was overall good through the whole race,” he added. “I felt really good.”

Running next to Faurothelped a lot, he said.

“He’s fun to run against.He’s a good athlete and hepushes me,” he said.

Faurot said he ran a cleanrace throughout.

“Of course, I could seeBlackburn ahead of me,”he said. “He’s been a great competitor all year. He kind of put the pressure on me. I

think we kind of push eachother.”

He was clean until the penultimate hurdle, he added.

Later in the day, Blackburn added the second gold medal to his cache, winning the 300-meter hurdles in a season best time of 39.57 seconds. That was good enough to edge out Andale sophomore Sawyer Simon, who was second in 39.76.

“It’s such a different race than the 110s,” Blackburn said. “They’re both challenging, and I have enjoyed learning how to run them better this season. It’s a nice way to finish off the day, and I couldn’t be happier with the way the two races went.”

Blackburn, like Faurot, is a junior, so there will be many more competitive races looming for the 2018 season in the spring.

 

Tuesday
Jan 2, 2018 at 7:59 PM Jan 2, 2018 at 7:59 PM

Kevin Thompson

Editor's Note: This story appeared in the May 28 Telegram as part of the 2017 state track and field championships in Wichita. Blackburn's double gold in the hurdles was part of The Telegram's 2017 No. 10 Top Sports Stories.

 

WICHITA – From 9:30-10:30 a.m., the track belonged to area hurdlers as area athletes picked up two firsts and three second places.

Carter Blackburn of Holcomb came in with the best time in state in the 110-meter hurdles, and he made good on that mark, taking the Class 4A title in 14.71 seconds.

That was just ahead of runner-up Marshall Faurot of Scott City, who posted a 14.86. Blackburn had run a season-best 14.52 in the Friday preliminaries.

The two friends and rivals used each other for inspiration as they blew over the hurdles in fairly clean races, with Blackburn holding off Faurot’s challenge at the end.

“I started off a little slow,I had those guys beside me pushing me,” Blackburn said. “About halfway through, I told myself I don’t want to lose this one now, so I really pushed through it there and at theend and got the win.”

Blackburn said hie hit a few hurdles, but his steps were on.

“I felt my form was overall good through the whole race,” he added. “I felt really good.”

Running next to Faurothelped a lot, he said.

“He’s fun to run against.He’s a good athlete and hepushes me,” he said.

Faurot said he ran a cleanrace throughout.

“Of course, I could seeBlackburn ahead of me,”he said. “He’s been a great competitor all year. He kind of put the pressure on me. I

think we kind of push eachother.”

He was clean until the penultimate hurdle, he added.

Later in the day, Blackburn added the second gold medal to his cache, winning the 300-meter hurdles in a season best time of 39.57 seconds. That was good enough to edge out Andale sophomore Sawyer Simon, who was second in 39.76.

“It’s such a different race than the 110s,” Blackburn said. “They’re both challenging, and I have enjoyed learning how to run them better this season. It’s a nice way to finish off the day, and I couldn’t be happier with the way the two races went.”

Blackburn, like Faurot, is a junior, so there will be many more competitive races looming for the 2018 season in the spring.