Track and field: Yorktown's Leitner third at 5,000 meters at New Balance Outdoor Nationals
It was a distance to which she was accustomed only in cross-country. But Thursday night, Yorktown senior Sydney Leitner won bronze at 5,000 meters in the New Balance Outdoor Nationals track and field championships in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The distance isn't a favorite in high school track, where 3,000 and 3,200 meters are the most commonly run long distances.
As a result, fewer than 250 official times are posted nationally for the 5,000 among high school girls.
Still, what Leitner, who'll run for Division I SUNY-Binghamton next year, did in clocking 17:01.49 was impressive.
With the competing Nike Outdoor Nationals going on at the same time in Eugene, Oregon and three 5,000-meter runners there finishing in faster times than Leitner's, she ended her night 12th in the country outdoors among high school girls this spring.
Leitner's race comes on the heels of her medaling at 3,000 meters at the state championships.
Nineteen athletes competed in Thursday's 5,000 in Philadelphia. The winner was Salem, Virginia's Carly Wilkes in 16:48.1.
Runner-up Jolena Quarzo of Brownsville, Pennsylvania clocked 16:57.85.
States Day 1: Hogan, Estabine, Baloga, Brightman, Bronxville relay win gold at state championships
States Day 2: Put Valley's Givan, Cornwall's Baloga, NR's Estabine win NY championships
Other finishes
While most area athletes who qualified for nationals are competing at the more local New Balance meet, some have headed west.
Included is senior Kyan Muendell of Lakeland/Panas. He finished fifth in the second-tier boys emerging elite division in Oregon in the javelin with a 154-foot throw.
The winner, Florida's Sam Romerhaus, threw 166-5.
At New Balance in Philadelphia, Irvington (Lucas Turano, Max Shevrin, Indy Minkoff, and Liam Lyons) finished 19th out of 22 in the top-tier, championship boys 4xmile relay in 18:37.99.
New Jersey's Union Catholic squad clocked 17:12.34 for the win.
Both New Balance and Nike will continue through Sunday.
A handful of other local track athletes are also slated to compete in the Adidas Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro, North Carolina. That meet runs Friday through Sunday.
Nancy Haggerty covers cross-country, track & field, field hockey, skiing, ice hockey, girls lacrosse and other sporting events for The Journal News/lohud. Follow her on Twitter at both @HaggertyNancy and at @LoHudHockey.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Track: Yorktown's Leitner is third in 5,000 at New Balance Nationals
