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We have come to know Austin Vandegrift senior Kevin Sanchez as the best distance runner in the state of Texas over the last two years. He won two consecutive UIL 6A state cross country championships as well the 2022 UIL 6A 3200m at the state track meet.
Sanchez' running style had become familiar and even more so predictable. He would help get the field off to a fair start and then he'd press the pace at the halfway mark taking the legs out of his competitors and ensuring to run the kick out of everyone. That's a classic race strategy for those who are superior in stamina and less confident in their turn over in the end.
It was a winning formula over the last two years where Sanchez can count his losses on Texas soil on one hand. Lately, the University of Notre Dame signee looks to have implemented a new racing strategy.
At the Texas Relays 3200m, Sanchez did not dominate the last half of the race until the finishing stages. Halfway through the race, Sanchez ran in fourth place; he held the lead going through 2K and 2400m, but with two laps to go he relinquished the lead to Marcelo Parra of San Antonio TMI Episcopal. Sanchez appeared comfortable and content to allow a faster turnover type runner lead with less than 200m remaining. It wasn't until the final stretch that Sanchez put the race to bed as he outkicked Parra winning by over two seconds with a 1:00.24 final lap.
Today, we saw "Kick Kevin" at the UIL District 25/26 6A Area Championships who again allowed other competitors to control the race at the end. With 300m remaining in the 3200m, Dylan Schieffelin (Austin Vandegrift) and Zack Munger (Austin Bowie) had both run into the first two positions, in which they held until the last 100m. It was Sanchez once again relying on a kick in the final 100m to assure him a win.
Is this the new Kevin Sanchez? Has he opened up his arsenal potentially making himself even harder to game plan and/or beat? Who knows, but one thing is for sure, he is fun to watch!