Palmyra's Tyler Burgess hurdles his way to two PIAA gold medals
As the favorite in two events, Palmyra junior Tyler Burgess said he didn't feel any extra pressure Saturday at the PIAA State Track & Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
"I just had to live up to the expectations," he said. "I put in enough work to get to where I am. I basically just had to execute."
Burgess was sensational, winning Class 3A gold medals in the 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles.
"I'm feeling great," he said. "At the beginning of the season, I told myself I could do it. I just had to believe, and it came true."
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Burgess won the 110 hurdles in a personal-best time of 13.74 seconds, just five-hundredths of a second off the meet record (13.69), set by North Allegheny's Ayden Owens in 2018.
The meet record in the 300 hurdles – 36.43, set by Penn Wood's Eric Futch in 2001 – also seemed like it might be in reach for Burgess, who set the District 3 record last week at 36.82.
Instead, Burgess settled for another convincing victory, taking his second title of the day in 37.47.
"The heat was getting to me," he said.
Parkland's Andrew Beers was the runner-up in both hurdles races Saturday in 14.05 and 38.17.
Burgess said to expect "bigger things" from him next year.
"I'm looking to break both records," he said.
Also for the Palmyra boys, Mason Bucks placed third in the boys pole vault at 15 feet, 6 inches on Friday.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Palmyra's Tyler Burgess wins PIAA 3A state gold in the hurdles
