Walking Friday night through the Hamline University campus from Klas Field to my car, I looked up from my phone to see Wayzata senior Hamza Mohamed running, no gliding, the opposite direction.
Five metro moments from track and field's best at the Hamline Elite Meet
Outstate involvement always marks the meet, but don't miss what some Twin Cities athletes achieved.
May 1, 2023 at 1:41PM
Recognizing him too late to offer a greeting, I could only chuckle. Ain't that just how covering high school sports goes? The great athletes pass you by in what seems like a flash.
Mohamed certainly qualifies as one of those greats, having paced the Trojans' past two Class 3A cross-country state championship teams. On Friday, his focus changed from the course to the track, where he placed 12th in the 800-meter race at the Hamline Elite Meet.
Saturday's meet recap in the Star Tribune went heavy on outstate success, thereby personifying what makes the meet special. The Minnesota State High School League separates schools into classes based on enrollment. Smashing those boundaries, the Elite Meet offers a rare chance each season for the state's best athletes to compete against one another.
Event winners from Blooming Prairie, Nevis, Perham and Rockford were name-checked Saturday, relegating mention of several worthy Elite Meet participants to this recap:
*Elite Meet record-setters included Edina's 4x400 girls relay team of Molly Bennett, Elsa Utoft, Grace Pohlidal and Abby Downin. The quartet posted a time of 3 minutes, 56.11 seconds, shaving 19 hundredths of a second from the record Minnetonka had held since 2014.
*Athletes who defended their 2022 Elite Meet titles were Rosemount seniors Hayden Bills (boys discus) and Jordan Hecht (girls discus). They also were first-time shot put champs. Honorable mention to Lakeville North senior Andrew Casey, who won the 800 after taking the 1,600 crown last season. Rochester Century backed up its 4x100 girls relay title with holdovers Favor Omoijuanfo, Madison Habberstad and Megan Lund plus relay newcomer Clara Gerhard.
*Champlin Park senior Richlu Tudee, the Star Tribune Boys Metro Track Athlete of the Year in 2022, ran the second leg of the Rebels' victorious 4x100 relay. Teammates Alvin Thomas, Lorenzo Andrews and Emmit Tutt joined Tudee both Friday and as the reigning Class 3A state champions.
*Minnetonka junior Claire Kohler won the girls 100 hurdles in a program-record time of 14.35 seconds. For her relentless style, she is known as the "Beast," Skippers coach Jane Reimer-Morgan said.
*Tip of the cap to Roseville sophomore Robert Mechura, who conquered a truly elite 3,200 field that included five runners who placed among the top nine at the Class 3A cross-country meet last fall. Mechura was 38th in the state meet.
Six players plus head coach Garrett Raboin and assistant coach Ben Gordon are from Minnesota. The tournament’s games will be televised starting Monday.
