Gold doesn’t rust in the rain for Riverside runner Colby Belczyk, relay teammates

By: Paul Schofield
Friday, May 28, 2021 | 6:59 PM

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SHIPPENSBURG — It started raining at the PIAA Class AA Track and Field Championships on Friday with three events left, and that was OK with Riverside senior Colby Belczyk.

“I love the rain. All my personal records are in the rain,” Belczyk said after winning the 800 and anchoring the 1,600-meter relay team. “It made it cooler and helped get the pollen out of the air. It also set a nice vibe to run in the rain.”

Belczyk edged out Hickory senior Cole Frazier by more than a second in the 800. Belczyk ran a 1:53.97. His teammate, junior Ty Fluharty, placed fourth by running a 1:55.57.

In the 1,600 relay, Belczyk and Fluharty along with sophomore Alden Wetzel and junior Brody Barton breezed past Southern Columbia. The Panthers ran a 3:36.37.

Belczyk said his goal was to win a gold medal.

“It feels amazing to accomplish that,” Belczyk said. “At the beginning of the season, we realized that we might have something going with the 1,600 relay. We were able to put together a really good team. It’s amazing.”

The future Bucknell Bison said he thought the key to the win was the fresh legs of Wetzel and Barton, who just had to run the relay while other teams had multiple runners in different events.

When Belczyk got the baton, he had a 10-meter lead and was able to maintain that distance to the finish line.

“It’s always nice to have the lead,” Belczyk said. “It depends who you’re competing against whether it’s a good position or not.”

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Riverside