Boys track and field: CdM runner rings surprise

Richard Dunn

LONG BEACH - Corona del Mar High boys track and field athlete Chris

Ringstrom opened the spring competing exclusively in field events.

Then, early in the season, CdM Coach Bill Sumner told Ringstrom that

the team was “in a bind this year” and needed him to help in the sprints.

“Last year as a freshman, Ringstrom competed in no running events ...

but this year we talked him into doing the sprints,” Sumner said.

Sumner added that Ringstrom began competing in the 200 “about 30 or 40

days ago” and, now, will be on center stage in that event next Saturday

in the CIF Southern Section Division III Finals at Cerritos College.

In addition to the 200, Ringstrom competed on the Sea Kings’

nonqualifying 400 and 1,600 relays Saturday in the CIF Division III

Preliminaries at Long Beach City College.

“Chris Ringstrom’s our biggest surprise. He came out of nowhere,”

Sumner said. “First, we couldn’t get anybody to run the sprints, and now

we’ve got a guy in three (sprinting events, including both relays).

Here’s a guy who wasn’t even running any events, and now he’s running in

the three in the CIF Prelims.”

In the 200, Ringstrom clocked a personal-best 22.85 to advance to the

finals.

“He’s the fastest 200-meter runner we’ve had in about eight years,”

Sumner said, referring to Jason Boyce, who was also a long jumper.

Ringstrom filled in for the Sea Kings’ 1,600 relay, because junior

Blake Dillion injured his back and was forced to sit out. “Ringstrom runs

the first 400 of his life and he does it at the CIF Prelims,” Sumner

quipped.