Gunner Meyer (junior, Fairbank, Wapsie Valley HS) qualified for Saturday’s men’s 110-meter hurdles final in fifth place and was running well through eight of the 10 hurdles before taking a fall on the final hurdle…

Gunner Meyer (junior, Fairbank, Wapsie Valley HS) qualified for Saturday’s men’s 110-meter hurdles final in fifth place and was running well through eight of the 10 hurdles before taking a fall on the final hurdle…

 

 

Fairbank’s Gunner Meyer, a standout junior from Wapsie Valley High School, qualified for Saturday’s highly competitive 110-meter hurdles final with an impressive fifth-place finish in the preliminary rounds. Known for his quick starts and aggressive form, Meyer entered the final determined to push for a podium finish. And for nearly the entire race, he looked the part of a medal contender.

Meyer got out of the blocks cleanly and established a smooth rhythm through the early hurdles. By the halfway mark, he was right in the thick of the race, holding pace with the frontrunners and gradually gaining ground. He cleared the eighth hurdle cleanly and appeared poised for a strong finish. But as he approached the final two hurdles, disaster struck.

On the ninth hurdle, Meyer began to lose some momentum, but it was the tenth and final barrier that proved heartbreaking. In his attempt to surge toward the finish, Meyer clipped the last hurdle with his lead leg. The impact threw him off balance, and he tumbled hard to the track just meters from the finish line. Despite the fall, Meyer displayed remarkable determination, quickly scrambling to his feet and jogging across the line to complete the race.

The fall was a devastating end to what had been an outstanding performance up to that point. Coaches and spectators alike were left in stunned silence, many of them impressed by Meyer’s gutsy effort and disappointed that a podium finish had slipped away in such dramatic fashion.

“It’s tough,” said Wapsie Valley head coach Brad Lehman. “Gunner ran one of the best races of his life. He was right there, right in the mix. He gave it everything, and sometimes the hurdles bite back. But the way he got up and finished says everything you need to know about that kid.”

Meyer, who was visibly emotional after the race, still managed to reflect on the experience with a maturity beyond his years.

“I felt really good going into the race,” he said. “I knew it was going to be close, and I was trying to push hard to the end. It didn’t go the way I wanted, but I’m proud I made it here and proud of how I ran. I’ll be back.”

Despite the unfortunate ending, Meyer’s performance over the weekend has drawn attention from coaches and fans statewide. As only a junior, he has another year to return and build on what was clearly a breakout season. His fifth-place qualifying time and aggressive racing style show he has the tools to be a top contender in the coming year.

For now, Meyer’s resilience and courage in the face of adversity stand as a testament to his character. Though the race didn’t end the way he envisioned, his journey is far from over—and many are already looking forward to what he’ll do next season.