Track and field: Petela finishes with flourish

By Phil Anastasia

Inquirer Staff Writer

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, N.J. -- Luke Petela's final race was so dramatically correct there was no need for an encore.

Shortly after running a remarkable final lap to win the 3,200 meters at the Meet of Champions on Wednesday night, Petela announced that his high school career was finished.

"I was thinking about going to nationals," Petela said. "But not after this. This is it. I want to do some other things before college."

Petela was unofficially clocked at 62.5 seconds in the final 400 meters -- a furious pace for the eighth lap of a grueling race -- and surged across the finish line to win in 8 minutes, 58.32 seconds during the competition at Frank Jost Field.

The victory was special for Petela, a Haddon Township senior, on any levels.

For one thing, he broke the nine-minute mark, a season-long goal.

For another, he rallied from a big deficit to win. Petela was behind West-Windsor Plainsboro-South senior Nikhil Pulimood by a good 20 meters at the bell to start the final lap.

"The pace was fast," Petela said. "There were so many good guys in this field. I was feeling it after about a mile."

Petela began closing ground over the final lap, reaching Pulimood's shoulder at the top of the straight-away.

Petela raced down the stretch, pulling away with a furous final kick.

"I was a little worried," Petela said. "He (Pulimood) was running a great race. I just decided to go for it."

The other thing that made Petela's triumph so sweet was that it capped a remarkable distance-running triple.

Petela won the cross-country Meet of Champions in the fall. He won the indoor 1600 meters at the Meet of Champions in the winter.

This spring was the capstone. Petela won three golds and a silver at the Group 1 state meet, propelling the Hawks to the brink of their first state title in 43 years before a late surge by Penns Grove gave the Red Devils the crown.

"Last weekend was about the team," Petela said. "This (the Meet of Champions) is more of an individual event so I was focused on running the best race that I could."

Petela seemed to come out of nowhere to win the Meet of Champions in cross country. But he was the favorite on Wednesday night, and the fast pace and relaxed, speedy gait of several other racers added pressure on the Penn-bound athlete.

But Petela dug deep over the final 400 meters and ended his career in dramatic, climatic fashion.

"Surreal," Peleta said of winning three Meet of Champions distance races in the course of his senior year.

Petela said he hoped to take some time off this summer to focus on "some social things" as well as his interest in music.
"I want to enjoy myself a little bit," Petela said.

-- Contact Phil Anastasia at panastasia@phillynews.com

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