Friday, May 25, 2001
N.Ky. boys track preview
CovCath's Applegate taking shot at state titles
By Ray Schaefer
Enquirer contributor
Covington Catholic senior Mike Applegate is trying to become a state track and field champion.
Applegate is the defending Class AAA regional shot put champ going into Saturday's meet at Scott. He finished sixth in the state shot put last year, and this year he's ranked first in the region in both shot put and discus.
This year, he has thrown the shot put 52 feet, 4 inches and his best discus throw is 139-8.
“I'm happy with shot, but not discus,” Applegate said. “I don't practice discus much; I just grip it and rip it.”
Applegate also is trying to become the third Colonel thrower to win a state title. Andy Zerhusen won the shot put in 1995, and David Leong won the discus last year.
CovCath throwers coach Mike Rinehard said Applegate has a 54-foot shot put throw in practice.
“I'm a little more physically strong, and he tried to outdo me,” said Rinehard, a 1986 Campbell County alumnus who trains with Applegate. “He's starting to pass me in the amount of weight he can lift. He (bench presses) about 325 (pounds).”
Many shot putters weigh well over 250 pounds, but Applegate is 6-foot, 225-pounds.Rinehard said that doesn't matter - Applegate also can move 1,000 pounds in leg presses.
“Legs are what gives him the distance,” Rinehard said.
Applegate, 18 , of Florence, is a football player (he was a defensive end and fullback) who dabbles in track. He took up track three years ago because he got tired of baseball, and he became interested in weightlifting because older brother Mark and Rinehard trained together.
Rinehard has devised some training methods: the “farmer's walk,” in which Applegate picks up 100-pound dumbbells in each hand and walks around the gym; having Applegate push Rinehard's pickup truck around the Campbell County Middle School parking lot for up to a quarter-mile; and the “gauntlet,” 20 pushups after each of 10 weightlifting exercises.
Applegate's college plans don't include track - he'd like to go to the University of Kentucky and possibly walk on to the football team. But he intends to enjoy his last two weeks with track nonetheless.
“I just smile and keep going,” Applegate said.
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N.Ky. boys track preview
