Going into the Boston University indoor track open, Keene State College track star Eric Dietz would have never believed it if you told him that he would not break only one, but two KSC records.
Dietz started running track his first year of high school, with no previous experience in the sport. However, he started swimming when he was in sixth grade. Once college came around Dietz was forced to make a decision between the two.
“I could either run indoor track, or I could swim,” Dietz said.
Dietz also added that he was being recruited for the KSC swim team while he was in high school. With the swim season already underway after the outdoor season concluded, he chose to stick with track and joined the indoor team.
Eric’s father, Michael Dietz, said that Eric is a very versatile runner and has no problem switching up events.
COntributed Photo / Eric DIetz
“Eric has matured into the consummate athlete, working with his teammates and coaches to bring his best effort to the front no matter what event his coaches ask him to participate in,” Michael Dietz said.
Track teammate Devin Sanford agreed with Michael Dietz in saying Eric has a very strong work ethic.
“He is definitely a team player, as weird as that sounds because it’s track, but he is always there for people,” Sanford said, “If somebody has to practice alone he’ll go so they don’t have to. He is definitely a hard worker for sure.”
When Eric Dietz took the starting block for the 500-meter race at Boston University, it was his first time ever running that specific event.
“I’ve never run the 500-meter race before. My coach said run it like you would run a 400 [meter race], but just do it five percent less. I said that was really specific, but I guess I could give it a shot,” Dietz explained.
Right off of the block Dietz said he was at the front of his heat, and showed no sign of letting up.
“I came out [of the starting block], and I was first in my heat. I heard my teammates cheering for Quentin [Bazarnicki, first-year athlete] behind me, so I figured I should probably pick it up a little bit,” Dietz said.
Crossing the finish line, Dietz finished with a time of 1:05.9, which broke the old KSC record by 0.6 seconds.
Dietz, however, did not know that he broke the record until Track Head Coach Tom Pickering informed him.
“I looked at my time, and I was wondering if I got the record,” Dietz said, “Then my coach came up to me and shook my hand and said I had gotten the record — I was really excited after that.”
Dietz, however, was not done breaking records for the day.
Taking his position for the 400-meter relay Dietz and his teammates had a good idea that Dietz was right on track for beating the record.
The relay team finished with a time of 50.1 seconds, which shattered the old record of 50.9 seconds.
Moments before Dietz broke the KSC record his teammate and best friend Sanford had just earned that title with a time of 50.4 seconds. Sanford had also broken the record one year prior to that day, clocking in with a time of 50.7 seconds.
“I had already had it from the year before, and I wasn’t expected to break it because I did pretty bad this season. I somehow pulled it out of nowhere,” Sanford said.
Sanford said that Dietz was extremely happy for him, but Dietz also knew he had his work set out for him in the upcoming heat.
“He was psyched for me, but I could tell he was bummed at the same time because I set the bar that much higher for him. He went out there and destroyed it, and I was super psyched for him,” Sanford said. Once the race was over Dietz said he was very proud of the way he and his teammates all performed.
“It felt really good to cross the finish line, look at the clock, and say I have two records now instead of none,” Dietz said.
Looking ahead, Dietz says that if the 400-meter relay team keeps up the hard work, then they will be right on track for breaking the outdoor 400-meter relay record as well.
Dietz’s father Michael said that Eric is not done yet. “Eric has a lot more to accomplish before all is said and done. We, his family, hope and pray he continues his successes and achieves all the goals he has set for himself.”
Connor Smith can be contacted at csmith@kscequinox.com
