Loveland Middle School’s Connor Thomas Wins U S Track & Field 400m Dash

Loveland Middle School student-athlete Connor Thomas just followed up a successful CYO outdoor track and field season with two impressive meets in early June. On June 9 Thomas swept the Hershey’s Regional Track Meet in the 100m, 200m, and Long Jump to advance to the state finals at Jesse Owen’s Stadium in Columbus July, 7. Only individual event winners move from the regional stage to the state meet.
 
On June 10 Thomas won his first United States Track & Field (USATF) 400m Dash at age 13 in the competitive Youth Division (13-14).
 
This past Spring Thomas was named to three CYO All-Star teams; the 400m, 4 X 200m, and 4 X 400.  He anchored the winning 4 X 400 to a club record and the Division I City Championship.  He was also named Newcomer of The Year as a 7th grader on his 7th-8th SMAC Club Track Team.  Thomas had previously been named to four other All-Star teams as a 5th and 6th grader; the 75m Dash, 100m Dash, and the 200m Dash twice.
 
Thomas also just made the National Junior Honor Society at Loveland Middle School.

Columbus and the Jesse Owens Track Venue were beautiful, except it was 102 degrees and 112 degrees on the track.  A meet organizer announced it was the hottest state meet they have hosted. Thomas’ goal as a 13-year-old in the 13/14-year-old group was to make it through all heats and flights and score in the finals. Racing against older 14-year-olds, he was really running against grown men at the state meet, but finished 4th in the 200m, 5th in the Long Jump, and 7th in the 100m.  He competed well at 13, but the quality of athletes at the state level was very impressive as was their physical size.  Next year Thomas will be in the highest age group in all three leagues he ran races in this year.