(ABC 6 News) — Last year, Jayce Kiehne might as well have had a spot reserved on the podium.

The standout track star won first place in the Section 1A 800m run before following up with a 3rd place finish at State. The baton didn’t slow him down either, nabbing third place in the State 4x800m relay, posting a school record of 8:04 minutes.

“It’s fun, it’s really fun,” Kiehne said. “We all push each other make each other better each practice and just have a good time.”

Every leg of the relay was below 2 minutes and 3 seconds with Jayce leading the way at a 1:55 split.

“I don’t like losing, especially to my friends,” teammate Luke Ruen said of Kiehne. “And having Jayce makes us want to be faster and be a better team.”

Once this season rolled around, Kiehne was still right on track.

“Jayce definitely puts in the time and the work,” Isaac Snyder, another LFCMC athlete noted. “You see him on the track running and it looks easy, but it does not come easy in any event. So he puts that time in outside of the meets and practices.”

On March 30, Kiehne took second at the Mankato Varsity Showcase with a 2-minute mark in the 800 meter.

“I think that is the most fun part about track you know?” Kiehne continued. “With your time if you have a faster time than someone, then your better than them. So just leave it all on the track.”

With multiple top finishes in the 400 meter as well, it doesnt seem to matter which event Kiehne runs.

“We could put him in any race honestly,” LFCMC head coach Alex Aiken assessed. “He could go as low as the 100 (meter) and as high as the 2-mile, he’s just that good of an athlete.”

Showing the most success in the 400 and 800 meter races — arguably the two hardest events on the track — Kiehne is ready to lap the competition with section and State meets around the corner.

“I would definitly say the 800 is the hardest its the mix of of both of them speed and endurance really.” Kiehne stated.

Kiehne is committed to Winona State for football and will join in the fall.