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In the last junior track meet of the season Pleasanton Heat runners Theodore Carter, 13, and Sahit Menon, 10, competed at the all-expenses paid invitational Hershey North American National Finals at Hershey, Penn. Aug. 2-5.
The Hershey’s chocolate and candy company invites only eight runners per age group per event for ages 9-14; 560 total youth runners were selected out of 450,000 participants after numerous qualification meets throughout the United States and Canada. The two finalists spent almost a week with Olympic legends like Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson, Bruce Jenner, Rafer Johnson as well as current Team USA stars, also visiting the Hershey’s Chocolate Factory and amusement park before racing.
Carter came in to the meet as last year’s Hershey champion and gold medalist. Due to injury (sustained in basketball) he was unable to train much this season, but still was able to get fourth place overall in the 800 meters for the 13-14 age group, losing only to three older athletes.
Not to be outdone, Menon (also a Division 1 soccer player for BUSC), blazed in for the silver medal in a photo-finish, finishing second in the 400-meter race in the 9-10 age group, less than 100th of a second from being the champion.
“It was so cool to get a high-five from Carl Lewis when I crossed the finish line,” Menon said.
Interestingly, Menon had started running only last fall, and was inspired by Carter’s championship success story from the previous summer.
Both boys also qualified for the 2007 USATF Junior Olympics earlier, with Carter unable to race, but Menon earning top 20 honors (15th and 16th overall) in both the 400- and 100-meter races.
Based on his performances, Carter was asked by Hershey officials to represent the United States in the international competitive 400-meter race against Chinese athletes later that day. He finished third before a huge crowd cheering him on.
“I was surprised they wanted me since I was hurt,” Carter said. “But when they said I would race against guys from other countries, I knew I was going to do it no matter what, and it felt great.”
The boys are coached primarily by Pleasanton’s Kevin McCarthy, and Menon also runs with CYO coach Tom Vincent.
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