It was a relatively busy weekend for athletes who compete with the Pella track and field teams.

The state qualifying distance athletes from the Dutch boys and girls competed at the Belmont Mile in Riverdale. Canaan Dunham placed 5th (4:19.56) in a field that featured some of Iowa’s best, including Western Dubuque’s Quentin Nauman and a soon-to-be Class 3A rival in Caleb Ten Pas from Des Moines Christian. Teammates Nathan Vander Waal (4:33.73) and Mason Gaulke (4:38.01) were 18th and 21st respectively.

The Class 3A distance queen and 1500, 3000, and 5K meters state champion Marissa Ferebee placed 2nd in a true 1600 meter race (4:57.67). Ani Wedemeyer of Pleasant Valley in Class 4A won at 4:56.18. Ruth Dunham of Pella placed 7th (5:36.44).

Hanson King of Pella joined Eagles rival Trevor Veenstra as unattached athletes at the Iowa Track and Field Coaches Association outdoor championships in Iowa City. King was 1st with a throw of 59 feet in the shot put, and Veenstra placed 3rd at 54-11.25. King placed 2nd (172-00) and Veenstra was 4th (170) in the discus throw.

Both events, at least in part, supported Mike Jay’s Track Guy Foundation, an organization aiming to ensure all athletes in Iowa have the ability to compete in cross country and track and field by purchasing shoes, funding camps, and more.