Amanda Benson looking to run Down Under

Amanda Benson is one young lady who always seems to be on the run, at least when it comes to Carson High School's track and field program.

"It's my passion, so I might as well be out here doing something I love," she said, smiling.

The junior was a versatile standout for the Senators this past season, running the 200, 400 and 800, as well as the relays, and in a pinch, she could be called on to run the 100-meter hurdles or long jump.

Benson isn't ready to stop running just yet, either. Next up, she is entered in the heptathlon at the 29th Great Southwest Classic on June 3-5 in Albuquerque, N.M., and later this summer, she plans to travel to Australia to compete at the Down Under Games in Sydney.

Benson was one of 12 Nevada athletes invited to participate in the Down Under Games, an event sponsored by International Sports Specialists Inc. that will feature athletes from the U.S., Australia and New Zealand on July 13-14.

"I'm really looking forward to that," Benson said, adding that the U.S. team will be in Australia between July 3-15. "I'll be training with them, meeting people and doing some sight seeing, so it should be a lot of fun."

Benson is still trying to raise funds to make the trip - the cost is $3,300 and anyone wishing to make donations may call her at 841-5395 - and once there, she hopes to do as much as possible in Sydney.

"I'd love to do the heptathlon if they have enough people entered to do it, otherwise I'll run the 400, 800 and 4x4, and if they have the javelin down there, I'd love to do that, too," she said.

In just two weeks, the Great Southwest Classic will attract blue chip athletes representing seven states to the University of New Mexico. This will be the second appearance at the invitational for Benson, who competed in the heptathlon as a freshman in 2002.

She will be part of a heptathlon field expected to number around 20 entries for competition on June 3-4.

"Oh, my gosh, I love going down there," she said. "You see so many fantastic athletes run. It's inspiring just because it makes me think, 'I could be doing that.' It helps you to do what you want, to help you to strive to do more, and say, 'OK, running today isn't so good, but it will help me get to where they are, and that's where I want to be.'"

Benson finished 12th overall in the 2002 heptathlon with 2,771 points, highlighted by her fifth-place run of 2:39.53 in the 800, sixth in the 200 (27.73) and eighth in the high jump (4-6). The overall finish was quite respectable considering the talent she competed against, according to Carson coach Todd Ackerman.

"Two years ago when she went, four of the top heptathletes in the nation were there," he said.

Benson's high school season ended two weeks ago at the Northern 4A Regionals and there were some highlights. Among those, she ran a season best 1:00.83 in the 400 meters for fifth-place, two spots shy of advancing to the state meet. Benson also combined with Terah Laack, Sandra McAlman and freshman Lindsay Ford to run a season best 4:08.57 for fourth-place in the 4x400 relay.

"Our relay team did pretty good; considering the injuries and all, we showed we could do it," Benson said. "Sinead (McSweeney) had to pull out the week before zone because of a bad hip; Terah missed most of the season (recovering from ACL surgery), but she ended on a good note coming back."

Incidentally, Benson and Laack have been teammates dating back to their days at Bethlehem Lutheran School, including a run of Tah-Neva League middle school team championships.

"I've been running eight years with that girl, I'm going to miss her," Benson said of Laack. "Looking back at it (running at Bethlehem Lutheran), those were really some great times."

Track notes: Other Carson Country athletes entered in the Great Southwest Classic include Matt Moore of Carson in the 300 hurdles, Tilor Smith of Carson in the long jump, Bridgette Galles of Dayton in the high jump, Daniel Geib of Galena in the 1,600 and 3,200, Mandy Dickman of Galena in the pole vault and Alyssa Abbott in the 800. ... Douglas High graduate Chris Chappell, a redshirt junior at the University of Arizona, will bid for a trip to the NCAA Track and Field Championships when he competes in the pole vault at the West Regional meet Friday and Saturday at Cal State-Northridge. A top five finish at the regional would assure him a berth in the NCAA Championships next month at the University of Texas in Austin. Chappell placed third in the pole vault at the Pacific-10 Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships May 14 in Tucson, Ariz., where he cleared the bar at 17-feet, 3-1/2 inches. ... Carson High graduate George Pincock scored points in three events for Colorado at the Big 12 Championships April 29-May 1 in Norman, Okla. The freshman sprinter placed eighth in the 200 in 21.97, plus he ran legs for Colorado's 4x400 relay team that placed sixth (3:11.98) and the 4x100 team that placed eighth (42.01).

Dave Price is a sports writer for the Nevada Appeal