JEFFERSON CITY – Blake Goodin pulled his father, Bill, alongside him atop the podium at Dwight T. Reed Stadium to share the moment.
Blake had just accomplished what no other Missouri male athlete had ever done – win 11 state track titles. His final high school gold medal came in the 800-meter run, and his time of 1 minute, 56.14 seconds places him fourth in the Class 1 record book. More importantly, it usurped his dad’s last school record and family bragging rights.
“That was number 11; the last open race of my high school career,” the Princeton senior said. “I couldn’t be happier right now.
“I can’t describe it. It’s something else. This is such a great day for me, for Princeton, my whole family, my coaches, everybody that’s helped me get to this point.”
There was a moment of levity as Blake and his father debated when the family 800 mark actually fell, but Blake was able to play the trump card.
“I’ve got nine state titles on him,” said Blake, who will run at Kansas State next year.
Blake swept all three distance races for the third time in his career. He won the 1,600-meter run (4:31.44) earlier Saturday of the Class 1 meet, and he picked up the 3,200-meter title (10:12.88) on the first day of competition. The only time Blake failed to win an individual gold medal in four years was in the 800 his freshman season.
It wasn’t until Blake lined up for Saturday’s 800 and his shot at the gold medal record that he began to feel nerves for the first time.
“The last two years I haven’t been nervous for any of these meets because there wasn’t three years of work on the line until today,” Blake said. “It’s a relief that it’s over; I’m sad that I won’t be able to do it again.”
Blake saw some challengers attempt to set the pace in the 3,200, and it wasn’t until the final 800 meters that he surged to the front and built some separation on the field. He took a similar tactic into the 1,600 and let Rock Port’s Gage Lemmon run out front for the first two laps. On the third lap, Blake took the race in hand and quickly built a 15-meter advantage on the pack.
He didn’t take anything to chance in the 800. Blake jumped into the lead and led the field around the track before crossing the finish line first for the 11th time.
If his three distance races weren’t enough, Blake came back and ran the anchor on the 1,600-meter relay one last time, too. He passed three teams during his final lap around the Lincoln University track to pull Princeton into fourth place.
When he anchored the squad during Friday’s prelims, barely 20 minutes after his win in the 3,200, Blake said he would run the relay any chance he got.
“In college I’m probably not going to get to run the 4x4, and the 4x4 is one of my favorite races,” Blake said. “I’m more than happy to run it any day. I just love it to death.”
And running the relay one more time Saturday gave Blake the victory lap he rightfully deserved.