Kristen Schulte, Tony O’Connor win top awards in Poultry Day’s 5K race

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VERSAILLES — Kristen Schulte has a long history of running for Versailles and that helped make her being crowned the top overall female in the annual Poultry Days 5k race all the more special.

Schulte said she participated in the race just about every year while growing up. She also ran for the Tigers in cross country and track during her high school years and has now come full circle back to Versailles as a track coach.

“It’s always fun to come back and be part of this,” said Schulte, shortly after receiving her first-place medal. She completed the 3.1-mile course in 20 minutes, 27.8 seconds. “Getting to run here in my hometown and now as a track coach here being able to run with some of my athletes is just really cool.”

The first-time champion was 12th overall as the first female to cross the finish line. She said time just hasn’t allowed her to participate for the last few years.

“I’ve been in grad school for a while now and this year I finally decided I had some time on my hands to do some running,” Schulte said. “And I thought I’m here for Poultry Days so I am going to run the 5k. It’s good to be part of it.”

Tony O’Connor, the overall race champion and top male finisher agreed on feeling good about being part of this race.

“My mom is from this area and it is definitely nice to come up here and be part of this race,” said O’Connor, who is a University of Cincinnati student from West Chester.He is studying to be an airline pilot and training is a big part of what he needs to do to stay in shape. “This is one way to keep in shape top pass those yearly physicals, but it really just carried over from high school cross country and track for me. I love running and getting out there.”

O’Connor has been coming to the Poultry Days race for about 10 years now, he said. This is the fifth time he has won it in the last six years. His time this year was just under 17 minutes at 16:49.8.

“This is a great course to run,” he said. “It’s flat and I like the flat courses because you can actually get a pretty accurate time.”

Another appeal O’Connor said of his making the hour-plus drive north to compete in this race is the early morning sunrise.

“I like getting up here early in the morning before other people and enjoying the sunrise in the farmlands,” O’Connor said. “I hit the road about 4:30 this morning. It’s just always a nice feeling up here. I like it here.”

There were nearly 500 participants in this year’s race, according to event organizer Phillip Pierri of YOLO of Darke County, Inc.

“What a beautiful day. We couldn’t ask for anything more,” said Pierri, whose group has been running the race for four years now. “We had almost 500 runners here today and we had such great help from all the volunteers, it was just a great turnout.”

Pierri said YOLO is helping to raise money for community projects in Versailles, as well as in Greenville.

“Our first project here is the outdoor amphitheater in Heritage Park,” Pierri said. “We have a huge turnout with our Versailles community and they really support us and the Poultry Days so we are looking forward to getting that built next year for the community. We are really blessed to be part of this festival.”

The top three places in each age group received medals and those results are listed below. Complete race results can be found on GTrace.com.

Race results (Top 3 in each age group)

Male overall (Chip time)

1. Tony O’Connor (16:49.8)

2. Grady Stuckman (17:27.3)

3. Brooks Blakeley (18:02.2)

Male 10 and under

1. T. Spitzer (22:48.5)

2. M. Briscoe (23:05.6)

3. O. Rindler (23:28.3)

Male 11-14

1. Noah Stevens (21:19.2)

2. O. Stuckman (22:41.7)

3. J. Watren (23:45.4)

Male 15-19

1. James Overholser (18:02.6)

2. Aaron Bruns (18:12.5)

3. Johnny Fike (18:32.1)

Male 20-24

1. Jacob Hill (19:54.8)

2. Luke Schlater (22:32.4)

3. Benjamin Ahrens (25:38.5)

Male 25-29

1. Garret Rose (21:09.7)

2. Ethan Hoening (21:35.4)

3. Bryant Ahrens (21:50.7)

Male 30-34

1. John Berger (20:45.9)

2. Jay Nickol (21:11.6)

3. Jordan Grogean (21:57.3)

Male 35-39

1. Joe Raterman (20:08.3)

2. Preston Ramsey (20:32.4)

3. Josh Schmitmeyer (21:37.4)

Male 40-44

1. Justin Marshall (20:31.4)

2. Travis Gerlach (21:49.3)

3. Ryan Shiverdecker (22:01.0)

Male 45-49

1. Joey Hoover (19:39.6)

2. Matt Keihl (22:59.0)

3. Anonymous participant (23:22.0)

Male 50-54

1. Scott Snell (21:45.6)

2. Brian Strobel (25:47.3)

3. Lonnie Subler (27:51.4)

Male 55-59

1. Chuck Blinn (20:22.0)

2. Bill Haber (23:11.0)

3. Daniel Weaver (23:40.7)

Male 60-64

1. Jay Prichard (21:19.1)

2. Dale Borchers (22:29.6)

3. Ivan Steinke (24:35.1)

Male 65-69

1. Richard Barton (21:58.7)

2. Randy Bashore (24:38.5)

3. Kevin Voss (26:44.6)

Male 70 and over

1. Ron Griffitts (26:47.2)

2. Patrick Barga (37:53.4)

3. Leon Burk (39:31.8)

Female overall

1. Kristen Schulte (20:27.8)

2. Tami Goff (21:21.1)

3. Mia Robillard (21:36.4)

Female 10 and under

1. C. Steinbrunner (25:38.2)

2. A. Robillard (25:40.3)

3. A. Graves (26:29.8)

Female 11-14

1. Katie McClurg (23:32.8)

2. G. Spitzer (25:47.4)

3. Carly Graves (26:28.5)

Female 15-19

1. Mackenzie Bohman (23:21.7)

2. Maddie Simon (25:27.4)

3. Maria Mangen (25:35.8)

Female 20-24

1. Kara Langenkamp (23:53.1)

2. Brooke Pothast (25:29.0)

3. Colleen Moloney (26:38.8)

Female 25-29

1. Kaila Cramer (21:44.6)

2. Emily Miano (22:24.7)

3. Lori Timmerman (24:12.8)

Female 30-34

1. Brittany Thiebeau (23:57.6)

2. Thea Langenkamp (24:10.9)

3. Heidi Rushing (25:44.6)

Female 35-39

1. Renae Borchers (22:51.7)

2. Ami Anthony (25:31.6)

3. Miles Hatzell (26:09.0)

Female 40-44

1. Crystal Barton (22:08.2)

2. Angela Robillard (22:33.0)

3. Lois Spitzer (23:59.6)

Female 45-49

1. Carolyn Iddings (22:49.5)

2. Carolyn Martin (27:00.0)

3. Kitty Davis (27:09.7)

Female 50-54

1. Deanne Rhoades (25:27.6)

2. Danesa Borgerding (30:24.3)

3. Patty Sutter (30:56.9)

Female 55-59

1. Shelly Haber (26:05.6)

2. Catherine Grow (29:14.9)

3. Gloria Burns (29:50.3)

Female 60-64

1. Connie Harshbarger (26:51.6)

2. Amy Breaden (29:06.0)

3. Arlene Luttmer (34:22.8)

Female 65-69

1. Susan Fowble (29:37.5)

2. Rebecca Shumaker (35:19.7)

3. Vicki Wiltshire (37:38.8)

Female 70 and over

1. Betty Warwick (34:10.8)

2. Marty Schipfer (47:06.7)

Runners take off from the start line on Saturday in the annual 5k race at the Versailles Poultry Days.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_Poultry-Days-race-1.jpgRunners take off from the start line on Saturday in the annual 5k race at the Versailles Poultry Days. Skip Weaver | The Daily Advocate

Tony O’Connor of West Chester won the men’s overall title on Saturday in the annual Poultry Days 5k race in Versailles. It was the fifth time in the last six years O’Connor has been the race champion.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_Poultry-Days-race-11.jpgTony O’Connor of West Chester won the men’s overall title on Saturday in the annual Poultry Days 5k race in Versailles. It was the fifth time in the last six years O’Connor has been the race champion. Skip Weaver | The Daily Advocate

Kristen Schulte was the women’s overall champion on Saturday in the annual Poultry Days 5K race in Versailles. Schulte, who is a track coach for Versailles, was running in the event for the first time in several years.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_Poultry-Days-race-14.jpgKristen Schulte was the women’s overall champion on Saturday in the annual Poultry Days 5K race in Versailles. Schulte, who is a track coach for Versailles, was running in the event for the first time in several years. Skip Weaver | The Daily Advocate

From left, Grady Stuckman (second place), Tony O’Connor (first place) and Brooks Blakeley (third place) were the top three overall male runners on Saturday in the annual Poultry Days 5k race in Versailles.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_Poultry-Days-race-top-3-men.jpgFrom left, Grady Stuckman (second place), Tony O’Connor (first place) and Brooks Blakeley (third place) were the top three overall male runners on Saturday in the annual Poultry Days 5k race in Versailles. Skip Weaver | The Daily Advocate

From left, Mia Robillard (third place), Kristen Schulte (first place) and Tami Goff (second place) pose together after received their awards in the annual Poultry Days 5k race in Versailles.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_Poultry-Days-race-top-3-women.jpgFrom left, Mia Robillard (third place), Kristen Schulte (first place) and Tami Goff (second place) pose together after received their awards in the annual Poultry Days 5k race in Versailles. Skip Weaver | The Daily Advocate

Men’s overall champion Tony O’Connor (left) and women’s overall champion Kristen Schulte pose together for a picture after receiving their race medals in the annual Poultry Days 5k race in Versailles.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_Poultry-Days-race-champs.jpgMen’s overall champion Tony O’Connor (left) and women’s overall champion Kristen Schulte pose together for a picture after receiving their race medals in the annual Poultry Days 5k race in Versailles. Skip Weaver | The Daily Advocate

By Skip Weaver

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Reach Greenville Daily Advocate sports editor Skip Weaver at (937) 569-4316 or by email at [email protected]

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