Grandfather Mountain, Nature on a Whole Different Level

SVOBODA AND SMITH TAKE TOP HONORS IN HIGHLAND GAMES TRACK EVENTS

Johnny SvobodaGRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN, NC -- Victories in running events propelled Johnny Svoboda, 22, from Kernersville, NC and Mary Chestnut Smith, 16, from Banner Elk, NC to Track & Field Athlete of the Games honors at the 54th annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games.

Svoboda, an all-conference track runner at Appalachian State University, won his third straight men's Track & Field Athlete of the Games honor. His specialty is running events but he competes in the long jump for fun, and that experience was the difference in his victory at Grandfather Mountain.

Svoboda won the 100-yard dash, the 440-yard dash and the long jump to edge long distance runner Alex Goden from Brevard (winner of the 880-yard and Mile runs) and Matt Boruff from Raleigh (winner of the High Jump and Pole Vault).

Mary Chestnut Smith, a rising junior at Avery High School, specializes in long-distance running. She placed 10th in the state in Cross Country and second in the state in the Mile and 800 Meter. Smith is also all-region in soccer. This was her first time to win women's Track & Field Athlete of the Games. Smith has been running at Grandfather since she was able to walk. She developed her skills trying to keep up with her two brothers who both ran track for the University of North Carolina.

Smith won the 880-yard run, the Mile and the Two-Mile run. Her Two-Mile time of 13 minutes, 40.72 seconds would have placed her second in the men's division. Close behind was Julie Ward from Boone, NC who won the long jump and high jump, and who placed second in the 200-yard dash.

Men's 100 Yard Dash
John Svoboda,
Kernersville, NC 9.4 seconds
Wesley Chandler
 Bear, DE 10.6 seconds

 

Men's 440 Yard Dash
John Svoboda
 Kernersville, NC 56.65 seconds
Matt Boruff
Raleigh, NC 58.75 seconds

 

Men's 880 Yard Dash
Alex Goden
 Brevard, NC 2:25.13
Tim Hubbard
 Tryon, NC 2:27.43

 

Women's 880 Yard Dash
Mary Chestnut Smith
 Banner Elk, NC 2:54.00 s
Kat Spradling, 3:38.83
Banner Elk, NC 3:38.83

 

Men's Mile Run
Alex Goden
 Brevard, NC 5:21.97
Ted Hubbard
 Tryon, NC 5:38.44

 

Women's Mile Run
Mary Chesnut Smith
 Banner Elk, NC 5:57.5

 

Men's 2-Mile Run
Ted Hubbard
 Tryon, NC 12:56.46
Tim Hubbard
 Tryon, NC 14:06.87

 

Women's 2-Mile Run
Mary Chestnut Smith
Banner Elk, NC 13:40.72
Molly Ruble
 Boone, NC 14:26.22

 

Men's Long Jump
John Svoboda
Kernersville, NC 19' 11 1/2"
Devin Patterson
 Klutztown, Pa 19' 9 1/2"

 

Women's Long Jump
Julie Ward
Asheville, NC 14' 3 1/4"
Sophie Randolph
 Richmond, MA 13' 11 1/2"

 

Men's High Jump
Matt Boruff
Raleigh, NC 5' 11"
David Isaacs
 Boone, NC 5' 9"

 

Women's High jump
Julie Ward
Asheville, NC 5' 0"
Sophie Randolph
Richmond, MA 4’ 6”

 

Women's Triple Jump
Sophie Randolph
Richmond, MA 29' 11 1/2"

 

Men's Pole Vault
Matt Boruff
Raleigh, NC 14’ 6"
Daniel Isaacs
 Boone, NC 13’ 6"

 

Women's Pole Vault
Stephanie Simpkins
 Johnson City, TN 11’ 6”
Ashley Beale
 Raleigh, NC 11’ 0”

 

Masters Pole Vault (over age 40)
Robert Patterson
 Norwood, NC 12'
Johnnie Dye
 West Union, SC 11' 0"

 

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