Calhoun's Logan Schaeffler repeats as indoor 1,600-meter state champion, barely misses state meet record
Logan Schaeffler of Calhoun wins the boys 1,600-meter run in a time of 4:11.00 at the New York State indoor track and field state championships at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island on Saturday. Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
In the past year, Calhoun’s Logan Schaeffler has established himself as one of the top boys distance runners in the state.
Schaeffler won his second consecutive indoor 1,600 meters championship in 4 minutes, 11 seconds flat Saturday at Ocean Breeze Track and Field Facility on Staten Island.
It’s a personal best for the senior, who came close to beating the indoor track and field state meet record of 4:10.51 set by St. Anthony’s Matthew Payamps in 2019.
“It was pretty much a perfect race,” Schaeffler said. “I don’t think I could’ve done any better than that.”
Schaeffler took the lead on the second lap and only expanded it from there. He finished 4.16 seconds ahead of Ketcham’s Connor Hitt, who took second.
“Me and my coach decided that if everyone got out hard, to just stay in that front pack. But if everyone was going at a more normal pace, to take it out fast and get the race started right at the beginning,” Schaeffler said.
Prior to Saturday’s race, Schaeffler’s personal best in the 1,600 was 4:13.51, which he clocked when he won his first state title a year ago. Schaeffler said he was shocked by how well he ran in last year’s victory.
Though he wasn’t exactly surprised to win it this time around, Schaeffler knew that he would have to work just as hard to earn another gold medal.
“I think people were expecting me to win just because I won last year. But I was just as, if not more, nervous than I was last year,” Schaeffler said. “There were some really good kids in this race. I actually checked their times before the race. I just tried to treat it like I haven’t won it before.”