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Kunkel, Klim take first at Billy Goat
By Brandon Judeh
McDonald
The usual suspects finished on top of the annual Billy Goat Challenge at Woodland Park.
McDonald’s Pat Kunkel (16:44) and Bobby Johnson (16:54) finished first and second in the boys race, while Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy won the team title.
“I put in a lot of mileage this week so I was feeling a little tired coming in because I’m not use to putting that much mileage in,” said Kunkel.
“My legs were definitely tired, but we had a plan to go out and see how things would turn out, and in the end it all worked out,” added Johnson.
Poland’s McKinsie Klim (20:12) and her sister, Melissa (20:28) placed 1-2 in the girls race, while the other Klim triplet, Michelle, took eighth.
“It’s so much fun, especially because we are all sisters and finishing near the top together is always great,” said Michelle.
“Our goal was to finish top five and having McKinsie first and me second is awesome,” Melissa added.
Melissa also set the record straight on the long-standing debate on whether there is a lot of pushing and shoving that goes on behind the scenes of a race.
“There is a little bit, but not much,” she said. “It’s never anything personal.”
Crestwood had five runners in the top 21 to win the team title.
Former Crestwood runner and current Olympic athlete Bridget Franek handed out the medals.
“It’s pretty neat to come back and do this,” said Franek. “I love seeing the local athletes compete and it’s fun for me to have people from rival schools come up to me and say how proud they are of me.”
Franek placed 14th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at this year’s Games. She said she hopes to compete in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
“It was really cool, very overwhelming, but definitely exciting and it was something I wouldn’t trade for the world,” she said.