Arcadia Invitational: Kutoven Shaves off 7 Seconds from Personal Record for 3200m to 8:54:83

Kutoven Stevens competed in the prestigious Arcadia Invitational 2022 yesterday running in the 3200m. On that flat track in Southern California, Ku shaved a whopping 7 seconds off of his prior PR personal record to a NEW PR of 8:54:83 !

Just over a year ago, Kutoven was training by himself, running through the sagebrush-lined dirt roads in Mason Valley…no coach, no teammates. Then in Fall of 2021, when Ku ran as the sole representative of the Yerington High School cross country team, the Damonte Ranch High School cross country athletes and their coaches took Kutoven in to train and practice with them.

Damonte Ranch Cross Country and Track Coach Lupe Cabada became Kutoven Steven’s mentor and running coach, and Ku hasn’t looked back since, making immense progress in his running form and times.

Kutoven, at just 18 years of age, has boundless potential as he reaches for his peak athletic form over the next several years.

Next Fall, Ku will be training and attending college where Olympians are created: University of Oregon in Eugene.

Here is the complete video of the 3200m/ 8 lap race shared by Misty Stevens (LMW snipped the still photos from the video~pixelated/poor quality):

https://www.facebook.com/misty.stevens.35912/videos/3246228805646585

Kutoven Stevens end of 3rd of 8 laps:

Another of Ku’s mentors, Aaron Moore of the Lake Tahoe Track Club (who also took Ku to the Junior Olympics in 2021) updated : “Ku’s leading the chase pack on lap 4. He’s in a good spot right here and he just needs to relax, forget about the guy in front. 4:28 on that mile.”

Lap 4 : Ku leads the chase pack:

As Kutoven rounded the second curve of lap 4,  the Announcer said: “Ku Stevens of Yerington, 9:01:38, Nevada… State Cross County Champ, 2A level.”

Aaron Moore quipped, ” and at all levels…”

End of Lap 5:

6th Lap, running hard:

Ku at the end of Lap 7, running 2nd:

8th lap straightaway:

Kutoven Stevens in Arcadia, California 2022 Apr 09, end of lap 8 fighting for PR 8:54:83 ~~7 seconds off his PR 9:01:38:

Hard fought battle at the finish line by the best of the best on the West Coast, including Kutoven Stevens:

Misty Stevens reported: “Ku now holds the Nevada State record for the 3200m and he plans to go for the 2 mile record at the New Balance meet in Pennsylvania in June. (There’s a slight difference in length between the 3200m and the 2mile, but it’s an important distinction when you’re going for records). Ku will be running the mile at the Mt. Sac meet next weekend in California.”

Arcadia is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, located about 13 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley and at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. ~ Wikipedia