Track: Loyola’s Gedyon to focus on the 1,600

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There’s big news already at the Southern Section track and field championships set to take place today at Cerritos College, and that’s the decision of Los Angeles Loyola distance Coach Lalo Diaz to allow his outstanding sophomore, Elias Gedyon, to focus on the 1,600. The first running event is 1 p.m.

‘We’ve unleashed the tiger,’ Diaz said.

Gedyon, the state cross-country champion, was supposed to seek a state title in the 800 in preparation for running the 1,600 next season. But he has adjusted so well to the 1,600 that Diaz has moved up his timetable. Gedyon will run in the 800 and 1,600 today, trying to help Loyola win a Division II team title, but he’ll drop the 800 for next week’s Masters Meet.

‘I think he just showed he’d adapted to that race better than the 800,’ Diaz said. ‘I think the 800 is far more draining over four years than the mile.’

Diaz believes Gedyon has a shot at breaking four minutes in the mile before he graduates from high school, and seeing him run the 1,600 through state ought to be one of the highlights in track and field this season.

-- Eric Sondheimer