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West Branch’s Brandon Pedersen sprints to gold in 100-meters
Pedersen literally takes his brothers wise and inspirational words to heart, and Saturday at the Class 2A boys’ state track meet, he took flight, speeding to gold in the 100-meters in a personal-best time of 10.73 seconds.
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DES MOINES — The meaningful body art adorns West Branch junior sprinter Brandon Pederson’s left pectoral muscle.
It depicts an angel and features a quote his late brother, Dalyn, shared with him:
“My dad told me to play with a chip on my shoulder, so that’s what I did.”
Pedersen literally takes his brothers wise and inspirational words to heart, and Saturday at the Class 2A boys’ state track meet, he took flight, speeding to gold in the 100-meters in a personal-best time of 10.73 seconds.
“I just look at that (tattoo) and just know that he’s always looking out for me and making sure I’m doing the right things, and putting in the hard work like he wanted me to,” he said. “He just helped me get where I am and I always thank him for that.”
Pedersen — who also placed third in the 200-meters while helping the Bears take third in the 400-meter relay — held off Cuay Konz of Treynor and Laken Caves of Alburnett. All three of those underclassmen shared the podium after the 200, as well, with Konz winning and Caves taking second.
“Now I feel like there’s a chip on my shoulder,” Caves said. “And I know it’s gonna push me to just grind harder.”
Alex Torres of Vinton-Shellsburg used a late hard push to win the 1,500-meters. But while he stood by the podium waiting for his name to be announced, he was drawn into the drama created by Western Dubuque star Quentin Nauman’s record-setting run in the 3A 1,500.
“I thought for a second, nothing I do would matter after that,” Torres joked.
Oh, it mattered. Torres passed Kyle Wagoner of Clarinda late to win in a time of 4:19.02.
“I have a board in my room and every morning I look (at it) and say, ‘I want to win a state championship,’” Torres said. “So it’s something you dream of.”
Pedersen’s time of 10.73 is the stuff of dreams, too. He’d rank 10.78 before but languished at 11-plus seconds much of the season.
“I just didn’t have the confidence, I’d say,” Pedersen said. “And then, like, middle of the season, I realized I’m the person.”
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