EV track star brings back gold from Down Under
It’s a keepsake that Keith Holt will treasure for years to come: a sweat shirt and sweat pants with the name “United States Track and Field” written across the front. It’s a memento from the East Valley High School track standout’s trip to the Down Under International Games.
Holt, who qualified for the state Class 4A state meet in the 800 meters, brought home two gold medals from the games, held at Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia, earlier this month. The senior-to-be won the 800 in a 2:00.04 and the 2,000 steeplechase in 6:49.9, besting a field of runners from the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
“I thought it was really cool to be able to compete internationally,” Holt said. “It really does feel different when you represent your country. You have that much more pride.
“The Australians were really nice. Everywhere we went, they would say ‘Oh, you’re from America.’ They were glad to have us there. We were on the Gold Coast, where they have some great beaches, and we ended up learning a lot about Australian history.”
Not that getting there was easy.
“You are responsible for your own fund-raising,” Holt explained. “It came to about $3,500 for me to be able to go.”
Even with the tab paid for, there’s still the trek down under.
“It’s a 13-hour flight to get there,” he said. “And that’s not counting the 10-hour layover in L.A. The good thing about that is you get a chance to get to know everyone else on the team. We had kids from all over the United States.”
The games are part of an annual slate of international sporting events produced by Australia’s International Sports Specialists.
Also competing in the games was recent East Valley graduate Kelcee Moody, who competed in both of her specialties. Moody was third in the discus with a throw of 39.09 meters (128 feet, 2 inches) and second in the shot put at 11.44 meters (37-5).
In the Boys 16-17, Central Valley junior-to-be Matt Simpson finished third 1500 meters in 4:39.
Holt’s junior season ended on a somewhat controversial note. He finished fifth in his heat at the state meet, clocking 1:59.11. Kevin Klein of Seattle’s Shorewood High was fourth in 1:58.95.
“I thought I could get by him with my kick,” Holt said. “We ended up in a photo finish.”
Holt’s season almost came to an early end in the District Meet.
“I did really good the first day at district,” he said. “I ran a 1:57 and had the best time of the day.”
The next day was a different story.
“The next day I ran the mile first, and I was feeling really bad,” he explained. “My chest hurt, and I was having a real hard time breathing. Since I had already qualified for regionals in the 800 (top eight finalists advanced), I thought I could just drop it and save myself up as much as I could for the 4x400 relay. That team had a pretty good chance of making it to regionals, and I wanted to help them. I really wanted our team to go.”
Holt said he talked it over with his coaches, who told him to skip the 800 final.
But that decision didn’t sit well with race officials.
“(They) said I had to finish,” Holt said. “We got into an argument about whether or not I should be disqualified from the 4x400 team. They said that if I was going to scratch out of one event, I would have to scratch out of the entire meet.
“One of the officials had overheard me talking about it, and he said it was unsportsmanlike. I was just really feeling really bad and figured, why tire myself out more.”
Now that it’s all behind him, Holt said he’s beginning to think about colleges.
“Harvard sent me a letter,” he said, in awe of the Ivy League mystique. “I don’t know that I have the grades for Harvard – I have a 3.5 g.p.a. I want to try to stay in the Northwest and stay relatively close to home. Some place in Washington or Oregon. The Ducks would be my No. 1 choice. They have such a reputation. It would be fun to run where Steve Prefontaine ran.”