CHARLESTON - Chaz Oberkfell of Gillespie opened the IHSA Class 1A State Boys Track and Field Meet on Saturday, May 31, 2025, with a strong performance in the 3,200-meter run, finishing second with a time of 9:38.14.
The meet at Charleston draws top high school distance runners from across the state.
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Nicolai Martino of Winnebago won the Class 1A 3,200 meters, clocking in at 9:33.86. Evan Cook of Decatur (St. Teresa) placed third with a time of 9:45.56, followed closely by Mika Nelson of Elmwood, who finished fourth at 9:45.90.
Oberkfell, who is seeded first in the 1,600-meter run scheduled later in the day, reflected on his performance in the 3,200 meters.
“It felt pretty good," he said. "I was a little nervous watching the heats and hoping my time would hold up."
Oberkfell noted a shift in his focus during the season, and said, “I started off quite a bit in the 3,200 at the start of the season, then started doing 1,600 more.”
He also mentioned the impact of his cross-country season on his track performance:
“I feel I have had a good season," Oberkell said. "I think the cross-country state championship helped me get going for track and field and be in a good place to start the season.”
