By Austin Kintz, Reporter
Two Kaneland track and field athletes, juniors Dylan Nauert and Nate Dyer, are traveling to “The Land Down Under” this summer for an international track meet.
The Down Under Track and Field meet is a three-day international competition in Australia at Griffith University. It is the largest high school age meet in all of Australia. It will last from July 5-7.
“It will give them a great experience at a national level meet overseas and give them even more experiences for their senior years,” Track coach Eric Baron said.
In the 15 years that Baron has coached boys track, none of his athletes have gone to this meet before.
Nauert has had his fair share of important track meets competing in the state meet last year, placing sixth in the 300-meter hurdles, and running in indoor state this track season, but this is a big opportunity. By placing sixth in state, that is what made him eligible to compete in The Land Down Under.
“The company that sets up this travel program looks at state meet results for underclassmen who did well,” Baron said.
“ I feel very honored to be chosen to compete in this meet. It was very honoring,” Dyer said, “Never in a million years would I have thought that I would be competing in a track and field meet in Australia.”
“The benefits of competing in such large meets are getting your name out there and upping your status as an athlete,” Nauert said.
Nauert plans to run in the 110-meter, 300-meter and 400 meter hurdles. His personal records include 15.6 seconds in the 110’s and 39.34 seconds in the 300’s, which was enough to qualify him as All-State in last year’s state meet in Charleston. His 300-meter hurdle time ranks third in Kaneland track history.
According to Down Under Sports, the best 300 meter hurdles time last year was 39.47 seconds in the 16-17 age group.
Hopefully that is enough to get them first place.
Nauert will not be flying alone; junior Nate Dyer will be competing in the field portion of the meet. Dyer qualified for shot put and discus. Dyer’s personal records include a 52-04 throw in shot put, and 155-9 in discuss. The best shot put throw last year in the Down Under meet was 54-6 and discus was 196-6.
“Nate had some of the best throws for his age,” Baron said.
For Dyer, the pressure when throwing depends on the size of the meet. The bigger the meet, the more pressure he feels.
According to official website of Down Under sports, the Down Under Track and Field meet takes places at Griffith University, Gold Coast campus. The competition facility was a training facility for the 2000 Summer Olympics held in Sydney, Australia.
“Hopefully I go out there and win,” Nauert said, “The effort being put foth to be the best motivates me to win.”
