BIGFORK — Bigfork Vikings running star Jack Jensen won both the 800- and 1,600-meter races at the Class B state track and field meet last year. Now with the school competing in Class A, he's chasing the same feat at a new level.
"I'm really excited about it. I mean, great runners I've never raced against, you know, just coming from B last year," said Jensen.
"So it's going to be exciting and fun and I'm excited for it, I'm ready for it. See what happens, of course, but I think that I stack up just as well as anybody else. And (I've) got a great coach, coached for the last 50 years, and so if anybody can get someone ready for it, it's her and so we'll be ready to go."
That coach, Susan Loeffler, who is in her 50th year with the Bigfork track and field team, knows Jensen is a perfect role model and leader.
"First of all, he's a fine young man. He's a great teammate, works hard, and just supports everybody on the team," said Loeffler. "And that to me is more important than anything that he will win."
After recording times of 1:58:10 in the 800 and 4:28:26 in the 1,600 to claim first place at state last year, Jensen ranks in the top five for both events at the Class A level this year with respective times of 1:58:52 and 4:25:28, and he attributes it all to his competitive drive.
"I love competing. I’m competitive in everything. It doesn't even matter what it is — who's got the best handwriting. I've got terrible handwriting, but I care and I want to win," said Jensen.
"And I want to be the best and, you know, can't be the best at everything. But track right now I'm good at it, and so I win races, it's fun to win. And so I just enjoy that a lot."
Loeffler has seen that competitiveness on full display the past four years.
"He rises to competition," she said. "He's one of the smartest runners I've ever coached and he just rises. He just wants them to bring it on. I mean, that's exactly his mentality when he goes in the race: 'You have to beat me.’"
