CONRAD — A pair of Conrad track and field athletes have set the standard in a pair of events this spring across Class B. Ledger Martin currently holds the top time in the 400-meter dash, while defending state-champion pole vaulter Ava Krings has set the bar high once again.
Two weeks ago during the Cal Wearley Memorial Invite in Havre, Martin ran 49.91 in the 400, also good for second overall in the state to this point.
"I just had a good mentality going into the race," Martin said at last weekend's Choteau Acantha meet. "I stretched well before. I was out there probably 45 minutes before the race just getting ready for it, getting focused away from everyone else in the middle of the field. It turned in to a pretty good race."
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Martin's time nearly broke a 52-year school record in the 400 of 49.7 seconds.
"Which I'm pretty positive I'll do here soon in the next few weeks," Martin said. "I think my community is going to all be there just cheering me on the entire time and it's going to be a different feeling that I've never felt before."
He said he's had a good deal of growth as a sprinter compared to last year.
"I dropped 4.95 seconds in my 400 over this time," Martin said. "If I can just keep doing that again without getting hurt this year, I feel like I can get to that 48 mark by state, is my goal."
On top of already been qualified for the state meet in the 400, Martin has already met the pre-qualifying times in the 100 and 800, and is only 0.09 seconds off in the 200.
Meanwhile, Krings is the defending pole vault champion, clearing 10 feet, 3 inches last spring to win it. She's once again setting the bar high, literally, with a best cleared height of 12 feet this season.
"It makes me step up my game a little bit," Krings said. "I see my competitors across the state, they get that higher mark and it makes me want to chase for a better mark as well."
Another of her primary events is the 100 hurdles, where she placed seventh at in the state meet a season ago.
"Get out of my head a little bit, not being so stressed, making sure I'm running my race," Krings said of how she looks to keep improving her time in the race. "I'm staying in my lane, getting over those hurdles as best as I can and putting a lot of time in to practice. Making sure it's something I hit every day."
Due to her successes so far, Krings will be competing in college at Carroll starting next year. Before that, she said there's still some things to accomplish to close out her senior year.
"Beat that 12-foot and obviously looking forward to that all-class state record, trying to get that 13-foot mark," Krings said. "That puts me ahead for next season in college and another title too."
Martin, Krings and Conrad next compete in the Hi-Line Classic, which takes place in Browning next Thursday.
