Local runners, from left to right, Emily Johnson and Michael Lantz particpated in the two-day Portland Track Festival Youth Meet ending Sunday and put up solid performances in their respective events. Johnson won the 1,500 with her personal record of 11:27.16, a 26-second improvement. Lantz, of TDHS, added two ninth-place finishes in the 800 and 1,500.
Local runners, from left to right, Emily Johnson and Michael Lantz particpated in the two-day Portland Track Festival Youth Meet ending Sunday and put up solid performances in their respective events. Johnson won the 1,500 with her personal record of 11:27.16, a 26-second improvement. Lantz, of TDHS, added two ninth-place finishes in the 800 and 1,500.
In just her third attempt at 3,000 meters, Emily Johnson showed she has the winning edge.
At the two-day Portland Track Festival Youth Meet ending Sunday, The Dalles Middle School eighth grader shattered her previous personal record by 26 seconds and came away with first-place honors after a final marker of 11 minutes and 27.16 seconds.
Coach Heather Fitz-Gustafson has taken notice of what Johnson has accomplished in her first three 2017 races.
“I think with how much Emily is improving each time out, she is showing that she will be a tough competitor in this event in the future,” Fitz-Gustafson said.
Johnson also timed out in 5:18 to set a new personal record in the 1,500 to place third, a four-second improvement, and secured 12th place in the 400 with a time of 1:09.
Enthused by her efforts last weekend, facing more than 850 athletes from across the region was great preparation for her next event this Saturday at Historic Hayward Field in Eugene.
Johnson is penciled in to run in the 400 and 1,500, under the lights, following the NCAA Championship finals.
“I felt I did spectacular this weekend,” Johnson said. “I’ve already surpassed my numbers from last year, so my next goal is to be passing the numbers I have just recently set. My times in these events was good practice, but I think what I need to work on is staying focused, and continuing my workouts to further improve on my times.”
After this weekend’s race slate, the next scheduled meet is the Junior Olympic State Meet later this month at Jesuit High School in Portland.
“Emily has improved so much this season and I think most of that has to do with her mental toughness,” Fitz-Gustafson added. “My stepdad/coach (Greg Gustafson) always said running was 90 percent mental, and she has really started improving in that aspect of things. I believe with how well she is training, she will just keep setting personal records each meet and peak at the right time. I couldn’t be more proud of how well she is training and racing this year.”
Michael Lantz, an incoming senior at The Dalles High School, running for Athletics East, recently set his 1,500-meter personal record of 4:33.41 during the school year at the Kiwanis Invitational on April 22, and he was close to that mark in Portland.
He wound up with a time of 4:37.46 to lock down ninth place, and he tacked on a ninth-place effort of 2:10.85 in his 800-meter attempt, just shy of his personal record of 2:09.85 set on May 11 at the 5A Columbia River Conference District Championships.
“Michael has been running for Athletics East for three years now and he always races tough,” Fitz-Gustafson said.
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