Controversy On The Track
Within minutes of Sprout running the first sub-9 on Colorado soil the mood went from elation to confusion, as it appeared that an official claimed to have witnessed Sprout and others cut in from the outside alley just a few meters too soon, near the 80-meter mark of the race. What was once a joyous moment quickly turned to that of despair.
The potential DQ quickly caused controversy, however.
While a gradual cut in from the outside alley after nearly 80 meters of running was clear, no runners were impeded upon, as Sprout was clear of the field, and as any distance runner would know, the cut in isn't exactly a massive time-saving shortcut.
What perhaps saved the performance from being wiped clean from the results was the fact that there were no cones on the track signaling for the appropriate time for an athlete to make the cut inside, and minimal instruction on when to do so.
Additionally, Colorado distance runners endure a variety of different cuts each week, given that there is no consistent standard for how and when to cut in from the outside alley.
This obviously caused mass confusion for the athletes in the race.
The conversation rapidly turned from that while it was clear several athletes did cut in a little early, it would be wrong to punish them for not knowing when they were supposed to.
In order for an athlete to follow the rules and not be disqualified, they need to be given correct information beforehand, they are after-all, high school student-athletes, and not professionals.
Additionally speaking, it'd be robbing Sprout of a state-record performance he clearly earned. His 8:57 was the first time a Colorado runner has broken 9 in Colorado. Erasing the result would mean the next time he, (presumably) or anyone else does it, it would come with an asterisk, since everyone at Jeffco Stadium saw Sprout's performance.
Despite the questions surrounding the performance, Sprout and Vancil were quick to dismiss any negative thoughts on the matter.
"I know I ran 9:08, and I'm ok with that," Vancil stated.
Likewise, Sprout was quick to dust off the possibility of being denied his historic run.
"Whether the time counts or not, that's ok," he said.
While the clock ticked on the question remained. For nearly two hours meet officials conversed with CHSAA about how to proceed, given the dilemma that there were mistakes made on both sides of the equation.
Fortunately, all parties were able to agree that the student-athletes shouldn't be punished with a DQ, and the result stood.
Sprout's 8:57 and Vancil's 9:08 both dipped under the previous meet record. However, Sprout's performance as a state record isn't in the clear yet.
While CHSAA rightfully (in my opinion) bypassed the option to DQ the athletes, they still must meet to discuss - and hopefully confirm - Sprout's 8:57 as a Colorado state record.
Whether the mark "officially" stands or not, one thing transcends debate: Cole Sprout did run the fastest 3,200 in the state of Colorado, and he was the first to to break 9 minutes on Colorado soil.