She pole vaulted, ran the 800, threw the javelin, ran the hurdles and even competed in a couple heptathlons.
One thing Jessie Klenk never did until this year was run the mile (or its metric equivalent).
Now, just a few months after her first college mile attempt resulted in a 5:42 and a 29th-place finish in a meet at Ocean Breeze, Klenk is a conference champion.
Klenk, a Stockton University junior from Sterling, won the New Jersey Athletic Conference 1,500 title Saturday on her home track in Galloway Township in 5:00.71, thanks to a 71-second final lap.
She won the conference title less than four months after her first collegiate 1,500 or mile and only six weeks after her first outdoor 1,500 or mile.
At Sterling, Klenk was Camden County champion in the pole vault, Woodbury Relays medalist in the javelin and a sectional medalist at 800 meters.
She did run some occasional 1,600s – her PR was a 5:44.58 that got her 18th place at the 2018 Camden County Championships at Haddon Township, 35 seconds behind winner and teammate Madison Coppolino.
Just goes to show you that persistence and determination pay off. Everyone improves at their own rate, and Klenk stuck with track, found her best event and is now a conference champion.
KIenk also ran a personal-best 2:24.46 to place third in the 800 for Stockton, which finished second to The College of New Jersey.
Klenk’s brother Max, a Stockton freshman, placed third in the NJAC decathlon Wednesday and Thursday with 4,458 points.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 