Junior middle distance runner David Holm has run well this season. So well, he is getting recognition from a former national champion.

Holm placed ninth this Saturday at the Iowa State Classic in Ames, Iowa (1 minute 51.24 seconds) in the 800-meter run. The time was the third fastest in Eastern history and Holm’s season best.

After the race, former Eastern national champion in the 800-meter run Jim Maton sent Eastern head coach Tom Akers an email congratulating Holm on the feat. Maton won 800-meter run at the 1988 NCAA Indoor National Championships.

“I was pretty shocked when Coach (Akers) gave it to me,” Holm said. “It was pretty amazing to get that. I was overwhelmed.”

Holm will try to improve his times tonight at the EIU Friday Night Special at Lantz Fieldhouse. The meet will begin at 2 p.m. with the women’s weight throw. The final event will be the men’s 1,000-meter run at 9:10 p.m.

Akers said Holm has done a lot for the team because he is such a versatile runner.

“Dave has done a lot of great things for us this year,” Akers said. “He has the capability of running everything from the 400-meter run to the mile. He is a tough competitor, a quality individual, a quality athlete and a quality competitor.”

Senior Clint Coffey said Holm has the most range on the entire team.

“He can run anything from the (200-meter dash) to the (3,000-meter run),” Coffey said. “He was bred to run; his mother was a distance runner and his father was a sprinter.”

Holm said coaching and training were probably the reason he can compete in so many events.

“I have been doing cross country, which helps with the distance,” Holm said. “I also do speed drills in the summer and fall, which helps with the shorter races.”

Akers said he thinks Holm has a chance to move up even farther in the Eastern record books.

“The race at Iowa did not break like we wanted it too, and I think we have more there,” Akers said. “I still think he had the opportunity to knock off the No. 2 runner in the (800-meter run).”

Holm said his goal for the race at Iowa State was to get under 1:50, the NCAA provisional mark.

“I have been training hard; I was expecting a good performance,” Holm said. “My goal was to run fast and to run a personal best.”

Holm is currently on top of the Ohio Valley Conference in the 800-meter run and is fourth in the mile (4:13.85). He is also a member of the 1,600-meter relay team that is ranked second in the OVC (3:16.92).

This will be the final meet for the Panthers before the OVC Indoor Championships Feb. 29-March 1 in Nashville, Tenn.

Dan Cusack can be reached at 581-7944 or at dscusack@eiu.edu.

Freshman jumper Ty Vanderkerkhove checks out his landing while high jumping during track practice in Lantz Fieldhouse. (John Bailey/The Daily Eastern News)

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