Scarvelis & Cheserek - NSAF Athletes of the Week
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
STAMATIA SCARVELIS
As a sophomore at Dos Pueblos HS (Goleta, CA) last year, Stamatia threw 49-5.5 and is the defending California state shot put champion. She had already thrown 49-8.5 in a local all-comers meet outdoors, so 49 feet is sort of in her DNA. She won Simplot with an impressive 49-6, #18 all-time indoors. She had three throws over 49 feet.
She is being coached by Kent Pagel, husband of three time Olympian Ramona Pagel, to which she credits her consistency. Only 15 girls are members of the “50 feet club” indoors and she hopes to join that group before the season ends.
NSAF Correspondent, David Mitchell, caught up with Stamatia at the Simplot Games this weekend and chated with her about her training and thoughts for the future.
EDWARD CHESEREK
Edward Cheserek has had a storied career since coming to the U.S. from Kenya three years ago.
Under the tutelage of coach Marty Hannon (St. Benedict’s, Newark, NJ), he has been nearly unbeatable. He ran 8:42.66 for two miles as a sophomore in 2011, setting the class record indoors. And, last year as a junior, he just missed that class record with an impressive 8:43.16.
On Saturday night at the Millrose Games he made history, breaking the oldest existing high school record “on the books that of legendary Gerry Lindgren. Lindgren had run 8:40.0 on February 15, 1964. Cheserek, in finishing 8th in the championship 2 Mile at Millrose, ran 8:39.15. He broke the record 49 years later, almost exactly to the day.
We will see him again at the New Balance Nationals Indoors in March. After graduating from high school in June, he will continue studies (and running) at the University of Oregon.
Previous NSAF Athletes of the Week Sponsored by New Balance
January 21: Sabrina Southerland & Cameron Burrell
January 28: Mary Cain & Braheme Days, Jr.
February 3: Marlon Humphry & Kadeisha Baird
February 11: Dior Hall and Michael Cherry
