Minnesota T&F State Meet Day 1 Recap - 3200m (All Races)

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The first races of the 2021 MSHSL State Track and Field Championships have been completed, and if the rest of the meet is like this, we are in for some more history!

The first night was solely comprised of the 3200m, and we came away with a historic girls race, school records, all-time state best times, and more! Read on below to see a synopsis of each individual race.

See what's happening tomorrow: Minnesota State Track and Field Meet PREVIEW

Class A Boys - 3200m

About halfway through the race, Emmet Anderson, Geno Uhrbom, and Alden Keller took off in their own pack and separated themselves from the rest of the runners. Going into the last lap Uhrbom took the lead but was then passed by Keller and Anderson on the back straight. With about 200 meters left, Anderson took off and never looked back on his way to a time of 9:17.11.

Andersons time of 9:17.11 crushed his previous personal best of 9:36.71. This was Andersons third time competing in the 3200m at the state and his first state championship. He beat out defending champion Geno Uhrbom and beat Uhrboms winning time from 2019 of 9:24.07. 

Ten of the runners in the race set a new personal best, and Tyson Mahar set a seasonal best. Our database shows Anderson's performances as the second-best for Class A all-time only behind Mike Torchia's record of 8:59.19 and just ahead of Mason Ferlics 9:17.68. 

Class A Boys Wheelchair - 3200m

A close race between Tyler Shepersky and Tyler Gunnarson resulted in a Shepersky win. The race was neck and neck up until the 1600m when Shepersky passed Gunnarson for the first time and never looked back. With about 500 meters left, Shepersky made his move and distanced himself from Gunnarson. 

Shepersky ended up with a time of 9:40.93 and Gunnarson finished in 9:49.06. This is Sheperskys second straight 3200m state championship. He won the 2019 iteration with a time of 9:25.26. 

Class A Girls - 3200m

The girls 3200m had a huge lead pack through lap three with Fairmonts Laura Thompson leading the pack most of that way. Going into lap four, that lead pack started to spread out from a group of ten, down to a lead pack of six runners. Going into the bell lap, that pack had dwindled down to Jade Rypkema, Natasha Sortland, Amanda Overgaauw, and Laura Thompson. 

The race came down to the last 100 meters, with Laura Thompson and Jade Rypkema battling it out down to the line. Rypkema was able to edge Thompson out 10:54.32 to 10:54.40. In the end, the top four runners were separated by less than 2 seconds. 

Rypkema had previously finished 13th at the 2019 state meet in the 3200m as an eighth-grader. She finished that race a good distance behind Lauren Ping (10:39.34). 

Class AA Boys - 3200m

All the boys stayed in one pack through the first three laps until there started to be a bit of separation for the whole field. The lead boys came through 1600m in about 4:45. Through the first 2000m, the leaders were mostly Andrew Johnson, Gabe Smit, Elliott McArthur, and Sam Scott.

With 400 meters left, Scheller, Smit, Johnson, Mcarthur, and Scott were all bunched closely together. Smit, Scheller, and McArthur distanced themselves from the rest of the field on the back straight. Smit and McArthur went into a one-on-one with about 100 meters left, but Smit was able to hold offer McArthur for the win. 

Smit finished with a time of 9:19.38 and McArthur finished in 9:19.65. 

Class AA Girls - 3200m

Analee Weaver led from the start and never looked back. From the start of the race, four girls distanced themselves from the rest of the field, Analee Weaver, Ali Weimer, Abbey Nechanicky, and Isabella Roemer. That lead pack came in at 5:05 for 1600m. After the 1600 meters point, Weaver expanded her lead a little bit every lap. She crossed at 2800 meters with a time of 9:01. 

Weaver finished with a time of 10:15.27 for a huge new personal best beating her old PR of 10:24.09. Her performance puts her 4th all-time for a Minnesota girl, only behind Emily Covert, Bria Wetshc, and Elizabeth Yetzer. At this time, that gives her the 17th fastest 3200m nationally this season. 

This is also Weaver's first track and field state title, after finishing 2nd in the 3200m and 4th in the 1600m in 2019. She has also won one cross country state championship and the de-facto 2020 XC state championship (TCRC XC Showcase). 

Ali Weimer set a new huge personal best time of 10:21.41, beating her old PR by about 12 seconds. Nechanicky PRd by almost 6 seconds and Romer improved by about 1.5 seconds. 

Weavers 3200m was the 2nd fastest at the State Championships ever, Weimer has the 3rd fastest, Nechanicky has the 4th fastest, and Roemer has the 7th fastest all-time. All four of those girls posted top 15 times all-time by a Minnesota girl. 

In all ten girls set a personal best, and Anna Fenske set a seasonal best.