SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Minnesota Class A 1,600-meter champion Nikki Swenson ran a season-best 4:56.13 Saturday, but had to settle for second at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Saturday.
Still, the Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd runner posted the fastest time listed in the state this year, regardless of class. Her time improved slightly on her first-place time at the 2005 state meet of 4:56.92 in June. She is about three seconds short of Michele Marthaler's area-best 4:53.20 run for Belgrade-Brooten in 1986.
LQPV/DB's R.J. Strand posted an area best in the triple jump when he took fourth, covering 44-2.
The girls 4 x 800 relay established an area-best time of 10:00.52, taking seventh place. The team had one other top 10 finish; Jameson Siegert was ninth in the high jump at 6-9.
Justin Peters of Redwood Valley ran a 4:30.98 1,600 for sixth place.
