No. 8 - Ben Bulkeley Comes Back For 1000m Title
For a meet filled with kicks and comebacks, some were more impressive than others. But none came back from a further deficit than that of Ben Bulkeley (Fairport). Entering the meet, only two athletes had broken 2:30 for the 1000m, a slower year for the perennially strong event in New York State. Bulkeley was the top seed in the event, and despite holding the freshman class State Record in the event, had never won a state title before. Now a junior, and the pressure was on. However, the race didn't start as planned.
The gun went off, and a body shot right to the front of the pack. The only problem; it wasn't Bulkeley. Chris Nowak (Sweet Home) took off sprinting, pulling a full second ahead of the pack by the first 200m. The pack remained calm, expecting it to be the State Meet jitters. And yet, at 400m in, Nowak's lead was increasing. He was now a second and a half ahead of the chase pack. 600m, and the gap was up to 2-and-a-half seconds. At 800m, Nowak maintained the pace, now three seconds ahead, PR'ing in the 800m at 1:55.65 (which would lead the State in the open 800m at the time of the running). If Nowak was going to be in this, he would have to get moving.
The bell lap rang, and Nowak was 30m ahead of Bulkeley, who had separated from the pack as well. The chase was on. Bulkeley pushed, but couldn't gain ground through the next 100m. Nowak hit the back turn, and was rounding to home. The crowd was standing up, as Bulkeley was now closing, and fast. A swing onto the homestretch, and Ben began to open up his stride. Pushing through the lactic acid, he became even with Nowak at 60m. He goes to his arms, and comes away with the advantage. Across the line he goes, shattering the Meet Record, grabbing his first State Title with a new personal best of 2:26.78.
It wouldn't be his last of the day, as he came back to contest the 4x800m, nabbing the fastest split of the day, once again kicking away from the competition. But it was his individual efforts that will be remembered when hits the track one more time, next Winter.
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