PETOSKEY — This time of year around track and field programs can be a pretty tense time.
Regionals just passed, the state finals are just ahead and conference seasons and careers are wrapping up.
It’s a perfect time for a meet that’s meant to be fun, relaxed and lighthearted, just like the second annual Petoskey Fun Run Thursday, May 21.
And, when she’s not lining up for one of her many events, nobody embodies those qualities more so around the sport than Petoskey’s Alexandra Petok.
A year ago at the fun run, you could find Petok inside a blow-up dinosaur costume and a pink tutu. This year, she changed things up a bit.
“I was actually looking for (the dinosaur costume) in our locker room and couldn’t find it,” Petok said. “But, I’ve got this mullet wig, I have a wolf shirt and this tutu.”
It’s clear Petok is in her element at a track meet, bouncing around from one event to the next, talking to everyone along the way.
All that energy is then transfered into each event for the junior standout, which has turned into school records and multiple state finals qualifications over her three seasons.
She added four more qualifications this season, including individual regional titles in the 100 hurdles (16.29) and 200 meter dash (26.74). She was then runner-up in the long jump (16-11) and 400 meter run (1:00.51).
The long jump came totally new to Petok this season.
“I’ve never done long jump before, so it’s really cool that I could qualify in that without doing it in like four years,” Petok said. “My coaches said everyone has to do a field event. So, the only field event that I liked was long jump and my first jump was like 16-feet, so I kept practicing at it. And my goal at the start was to break the school record. I did that and now I just want to have a good jump for states.”
Despite being new in it, she hasn’t earned worst than second place in the event all season, with five first place finishes that included a Big North title, the Ken Bell Invite and Freeland Invite.
Then there’s also that school record jump of 17-feet, 9.25 inches, shattering the previous mark of 17-feet, 3-inches.
This season has also come with a new favorite event, the 400. She set a new personal best of 59.50 seconds at the BNC finals in essentially only her fifth time running the event, while breaking the one-minute barrier.
“It’s more of like a sprinting and long distance event and I kind of like that,” Petok said. “I like running by the 100 and just fully sprinting, seeing how much more energy I have to get the time I want. The 200 has been a really good experience for me too. I’ve been doing really good in that.”
Truthfully, Petok could probably pick up a pole vault pole or discus and find a way to success in those events as well. Over the course of her career now, she’s qualified for the state finals in seven different events.
Her career began dominating hurdle events as a freshman and sophomore, but has evolved into so much more.
And, it’s not done evolving just yet.
“I’d like to try the 800,” she said. “I always want to put myself in new events. It’s really fun trying events out. I’ve never done high jump, but that’s one thing I’ll do next year is practice that. I think I’d be good at it too.”
It’s certainly hard to doubt she wouldn’t be at this point.
Reach Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com and follow him on X @DrewKochanny and Instagram @drewkochanny
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Petoskey’s Alex Petok a rare athlete excelling everywhere her feet line up
Reporting by Drew Kochanny, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
