Durango High School graduate and star runner David Moenning capped off an incredible 2016 track and field season at the New Balance Nationals in Greensboro, North Carolina over the weekend.
Moenning finished ninth in the nation in his specialty, the 800-meter dash, after winning two Colorado High School Activities Association Class 4A state titles last month.
His time of 1 minute, 51.76 seconds was a personal best for the future Western State University runner, and 0.54 seconds shy of All-American status.
“David ran the best race of his young life,” Durango head track and field coach David McMillan wrote in an email to The Durango Herald. “David unleashed his trademark finish to close on the leader in the last 200 meters. The race capped off what was a memorable last two months.”
Moenning found his best form at the right time this year. After being part of the state champion Durango cross country team in the fall, he one-upped himself in the spring with state titles in the 4x800 relay team and individually in the 800-meter dash. The speedy Demon ran down a number of runners as the anchor of the 4x800 team before blowing away the competition in the 800 with a perfectly timed kick that had competitors and fans shaking heads in disbelief.
In Greensboro, Moenning tried the same strategy, but the timing was just a bit off.
“He ran a conservative race to start,” McMillan said. “Perhaps he gave up a little too much at the start of the final lap.”
Moenning finished second in the early heat and was forced to wait until the nightcap to learn his fate. When the results came in, his ninth place finish was just out of the top six who became all-americans.
The result is a rare one in which Moenning didn’t reach his goal, but top-ten in the nation is a huge win considering that Moenning is the first Durango High athlete to compete at the national meet since the 1980s.
He rewrote the track and field record books at Durango High School and is the only Demons runner to ever win two state titles at one meet. He holds school records in the 800 and the 4x800. His 800 time of 1:52.26 sits third all-time in CHSAA’s 4A class and seventh in the history of the state.
jfries@durangoherald.com
