thletics Rounding the curve, freshman Malgorzata Drazkowska makes her way through the group during the 800-meter race at the National Track and Field Championship May 27, 2005, in Abilene, Texas. Drazkowska finished fourth in the 800-meter race . ·leff Montgomery Bisons prevail in finish-line victories Three hours a day, six days a week was the practice schedule for the track team this season. Eighteen hours of practice mixed with a full schedule ofclasses and finding time to sleep and eat made for a busy semester for the H arding 2005 track team. The season began in the middle ofJanuarywirh indoor track and ended in early March 2005. The team averaged four indoor crack meets a season besides nationals. Three women qualified for indoor nationals in the 5,OOO-meter race. The fOur-woman distance medley teamof senior Janet Kogo, juniors Tessa Tarole and Kalina Szreyn, and freshman Gosia Drazkowska also qualified. Kogo won (he national championship title in the 5,OaO-meter race, which made her Harding's first three– time national champion. Shewas also named the National South Region Indoor Runner of the Year. The women's team finished with five All-American titles at the national indoor meet. The men's distance medley team ofsophomores Artur Kern and przemeys!aw Bobrowski and seniors James Mason and Reed Fisher finished third in the National Championship. Sophomore Julius Kosgei finished fifth in the 5,000meter race and earned an All-American title. There were six outdoor meets in the season before rhe National Championship in Abilene, Texas. Kogo won the 5,000- and the lO,OOO-meter races at the national championship, making her a three-time Narional Champion. Overall, rhe women's team finished 12th in the country. Combined, there were 15 new records for track. SophomoreWill Ellis, a distance runner for the track team, said the work and time was worch it when he crossed the finish line. "When you cross the finish line and know that you left every single ounce of your energy all over that track and see rhe clock at a time you never imagined being able to run, there is nothing like that in the world," Ellis said. The grade point average fOt both teams was above 3.41, makingboth teams AcademicAlI-Americans. Five members ofthe team qualified for this award individually. "I have a really great group," Coach Steve Guymon said. "I tell coaches our spore is their punishment, every– body uses running for a punishment; that's what we do for a living." ·Maranda Abercrambie Running in the 5,OOO-meter roce, junior Kalina Szetyn runs at the National Track and Field Champi– onship in Abilene, Texas, May 28, 2005. Szetyn finished 12th with a time of 17 minutes, 51.38 seconds. ·Jeff Montgomery
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