John Robinson's spectacular track and field season at Whittell High School carried over into the offseason at the Great Southwest Track and Field Classic last weekend in Albuquerque, N.M.
Robinson, who just completed his junior year for the Warriors, finished fifth in a tightly contested boys' 800-meter race with a time of 1 minute, 56.77 seconds at the University of New Mexico Track and Field Stadium.
The meet includes the top athletes from Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah. In order to participate these athletes must receive a recommendation for a state advisory chairman, then be approved by their state's interscholastic governing body.
The top-seven finishers in the 30-competitor 800 field were separated by only 1.05 seconds. Kyle Thompson of Texas won the race in 1:55.83, which is a slower time than Robinson's Whittell school record time of 1:55.09.
As a top-six placer, Robinson received a medal.
Robinson, who won four first-place medals at the Nevada 2A state meet last month, wasn't the only local track athlete to compete at the meet. South Tahoe High sophomore Shelby McIntyre, a Nevada 4A state champion in the 1,600 meters, competed in the girls' 1,500.
McIntyre finished seventh out of a field of 17 runners. Her time was 5:02.05. Utah's Jamie Stokes, also a sophomore, won the race in 4:46.20.
Wade Meddles of Sierra Lutheran in Gardnerville was a double winner, finishing first in the boys' 1,500-meter run in 4:02.80 and the 3,200 at 9:25.61. Incline's Mike Sunseri was eighth in the 1,500 at 4:12.34.
