FORT COLLINS — When Trevor Brown rolled onto Colorado State’s campus last fall, the 2010 Colorado Gatorade track athlete of the year had a ready-made rival. Brown, who dominated last spring’s Class 4A state track meet, found himself trying to keep up with Kelby Dias, who commanded the Class 4A meet in 2009.
“It’s helping more than I know,” the freshman Brown said recently. “I appreciate someone to run against every day. It’s not like trying to motivate yourself.”
Going into this week’s Mountain West Conference outdoor track and field championships, those two are tied for second in the conference standings in the 110-meter hurdles at 14.35 seconds, behind TCU’s Jordan Pitts (13.99).
Dias, a sophomore from Colorado Springs’ Sierra High School, won the 2009 Class 4A long jump and both hurdle events and took second in the 800-meter relay.
Last spring, Brown won both state 4A hurdle titles and, was second in the triple jump and fifth in a relay. He set the state-meet record in the 300- meter hurdles (36.81). Brown, who is from Wasson, followed that with a third in the USA Junior outdoor meet in the 100-meter hurdles and then won the MWC indoor title in the 60-meter hurdles in February.
While they are a year apart in class, they’ve known each other for a long time from having competed so often. In that 2009 state meet, Brown was second to Dias in the 110 hurdles and third (with Dias winning) in the 300 hurdles.
“Having Trevor every day in practice is a track meet,” Dias said. “It’s intense all the time. It’s like we’re not even at practice. I’ve got to beat these guys no matter what it takes.”
Any school at high altitude should be able to attract distance runners. For CSU, it long had a gap in getting quality hurdlers and sprinters. That gap is closing with Brown and Dias.
“They are both capable of winning a conference title in the high hurdles,” CSU track coach Brian Bedard said. “That’s good for local talent to see Colorado kids doing well.”
One reason for the sudden success in hurdles is the opportunity to work out indoors during inclement weather. CSU’s indoor practice facility was built primarily for the football team, but the benefits are paying off in track and field.
Realistically, Bedard knows his men’s and women’s teams won’t be a huge factor at the conference meet, which starts Wednesday at CSU’s Jack Christiansen Field. CSU is hosting a year ahead of its place on the MWC rotation, having swapped with Air Force. The Falcons’ track facility is under construction.
It’s been a rebuilding year for CSU. However, with a home-track comfort level, Bedard is looking for a confidence boost, led by his hurdlers.
The heptathlon and decathlon are featured Wednesday and Thursday. Field events open Friday morning. The finals start at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, with the awards ceremony scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
“It’s a really good way to showcase Fort Collins and Colorado State,” Bedard said.
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
MWC outdoor meet
Where: Jack Christiansen Field, CSU campus
Admission: Free on Wednesday and Thursday; $5 for adults and $3 for children Friday and Saturday.
Schedule
Wednesday and Thursday: Heptathlon and decathlon
Friday: Field events, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; running events, 1:30-6 p.m.
Saturday: Field events, 11 a.m.- 1 p.m.; running finals, 11:30 a.m.- 3 p.m.; awards ceremony, 3:30 p.m.
