RTC competes in “Meet in the Heat”

The RTC recently held their annual home meet, the “Meet in the Heat” at Rochelle Township High School. Almost 160 athletes from all over the area came to compete in the meet. Check out RTC members did on page 8. (Photo submitted)
ROCHELLE — The 30th annual Rochelle Track Club “Meet in the Heat” was held Saturday, July 19, 2008 at the Creason Athletic Stadium at Rochelle Township High School.

Nearly 160 athletes from six different clubs, and those who were unattached to a club, competed for first through sixth place ribbons in 170 different events in six different age divisions.

In total, there were 376 total individual event enteries in the RTC’s biggest meet of the year.

And despite the threat of rain several hundred people came out and attended the meet as spectators to support their local athletes.

Don Mannel of Rochelle served as the head starter while Kay Dobbs of Rochelle acted as clerk of the course.

John Dobbs of Rochelle was the head timer.

Many other Rochelle Track Club parents and other volunteers helped to run the meet.

Sixteen new meet records were set during the day, including one set by Michelle Dobbs of the Rochelle Track Club.

Dobbs ran 2:23.6 in the Youth Girls 800 meter run to beat the old record of 2:28.2 held by Grace Milhorn of the Huskie Track Club.

Dobbs is traveling this week to compete in the 2008 USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships in Omaha, Nebraska.

Qualify

Dobbs qualified for the National meet by first competing in the state level Junior Olypics held in Joliet in June, and then by placing third in the Regional Junior Olympics.

The teams that competed included the Rochelle Track Club, DeKalb Huskie Track Club, Rockford Fire Track Club, Golden Eagles Track Club (Rockford), Beloit Flyers Track Club, Belvidere Track Club and Sterling Track Club.