Sprinter Liam Danitz Eclipses Four-Year-Old School Record in the Indoor 200 Meters

Sophomore Liam Danitz, pictured

Sprinter Liam Danitz etched his name into the Hope College record book during the first meet of the indoor track and field season.

The sophomore from West Branch, Michigan (Ogemaw Heights HS) raced to a school-record, 200-meter time of 22.25 seconds at the Grand Valley State University Holiday Open on Friday.

Danitz surpassed the previous Hope record of 22.68 seconds set by Justin Freeman in 2019.

In the field of 77 runners, Danitz competed against entrants from NCAA Division I, II and II, and NAIA teams. Teammate Nathan Woolum (Mattawan, Michigan / Mattawan) was 23rd at 22.53.

Hope placed in the Top 30 in seven more events at the non-scoring meet.

In the 3,000 meters, sophomore Carston Cole (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa) placed a team-best fifth by recording a run of 8:30.33.

In the 5,000 meters, three Hope runners finished in the Top 10: sophomore Jonas Fraley-Burgett (Kalamazoo, Michigan / Kalamazoo Central) in sixth at 15:53.44; sophomore Ryan Allspach (Glen Ellyn, Illinois / Glenbard South) in eighth at 16:08.00; and sophomore Luke Skuratowicz (Kalamazoo, Michigan / Kalamazoo Central) in 10th at 16:14.35.

In the 4x400 relay, the Flying Dutchmen finished 10th as junior Alex Daniels (Holland, Michigan / Holland), Woolum, junior Joshua Ennen (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland West), and sophomore Wyatt Marsh (Grand Blanc, Michigan / Lake Fenton) posted a time of 3:26.69.

In the 800 meters, sophomore Erickson Kunzler (Marne, Michigan / Grand Rapids Catholic Central) clocked a 16th-place effort of 1:57.62.

In the 400 meters, Woolum, a senior, placed 18th at 50.00.

In the 60 meters, Danitz took 20th at 7.05.

In the long jump, junior Derik Smith (Niles, Michigan / Edwardsburg) finished 22nd with a leap of 4.09 meters (16 feet, 6 inches).

Hope is next scheduled to compete on Saturday, Jan. 20, at the GVSU Mike Lints Alumni Meet.

Print Friendly Version