Efurd starts new season with school mile record
Posted on Tuesday, January 13, 2009
BENTONVILLE - Rogers senior Cameron Efurd broke a 12-year-old school record in the mile at the Arkansas High School Indoor Invitational at the UA's Randal Tyson Track Center on Saturday.
His second-place time of 4 minutes, 20.29 seconds bested former Mountie standout David Carroll's 1997 mark of 4:22.45.
"I didn't know how fast he would run," coach and father Carlton Efurd said. "I expected him to have a good time but I didn't think he'd finish (that high). His time would almost be the same as last year's time. He's basically where he left off with no speed work. Once he starts picking up his training, I hope he'll keep getting faster."
Carroll, who set the previous mark as a senior, was a natural runner.
"He's one of the most naturally talented athletes I've ever coached," Carlton Efurd said. "He could just go out and just run incredibly fast, from the time he got here. He was very gifted."
Cameron Efurd has been putting in his miles since helping the Mounties win their seventh straight state cross country title in November. Efurd won that race in Hot Springs in 15:53.19.
The Mounties became just the second large school to win the high school triple crown last year, winning state titles in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track during the 2007-08 school year.
Efurd was sixth overall at the cross country meet as a junior, won the 800 at the state indoor meet and won the 1,600 at the outdoor meet. He finished that super junior season by winning the 1,600 at the Meet of Champions in 4:19.27.
Saturday's race was a good start to the new season.
Efurd was beaten by Lincoln Way Central freshman Lukas Verzbicas, who moved to the New Lenox, Ill., school from Lithuania when he was in third grade. Verzbicas' winning time of 4:15.43 set a freshman indoor national record.
"It was a good race up until the last 200 meters," Carlton Efurd said. "Cameron tried to pass (Verzbicas) and I think that was a mistake. That kid shifted to another gear and just ran off."
Verzbicas, who specializes in triathlon, went on to set a freshman indoor national record in the 3,000-meter run later that day.
The indoor season continues in February with the Arkansas Track Coaches Association indoor meet (Feb. 7) and the indoor state meet (Feb. 28).
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