Top returning boys distance runners in Iowa high school track

Here are some of the top boy distance runners in Iowa for track and field

Norwalk's Tony Anania and Ankeny's Ethan Zuber are two of the top distance runners back in Iowa this year for high school track and field. / Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

Those who go the distance to find success are ones that can run and run and run for days. These are the kids who hold down spots in the 1,600 and 3,200, and probably also run cross country for their schools.

We have previously highlighted some of the top sprinters and hurdlers in the state.

Here are some of the top boy distance runners in Iowa in 2025 track and field:

Tony Anania, Norwalk, senior

Anania not only showed he can run with anybody, he beat the best of the best, taking the 4A 1,600 title in 4:11.90 while placing third in the 3,200 in 9:03.48.

Aidan Brady, Wapsie Valley, junior

A fourth last year in the 1A 3,200, Brady returns looking for more hardware as he was also seventh in the 1,600.

Ben Byers, Sibley-Ocheyedan, junior

Byers concluded his sophomore season with a fifth in the 1A 1,600 in 4:25.

Kevin Coots, Lewis Central, junior

Coots learned from Ethan Eichhorn last year, and now he has become No. 1 after finishing fourth in 3A in the 3,200.

Canaan Dunham, Pella, junior

Dunham is one of the top runners in the state, as evidenced by his second place in 3A in the 3,200 last year in 9:00.93 and runner-up in the 1,600 in 4;15.67.

Jack Flori, Dowling, senior

Flori has one more shot at knocking off Zuber for gold,as he was sixth a year ago in 4A in 9:19.15.

Gavin Grunhovd, North Iowa, senior

A talented runner, Grunhovd was third in the 1A 1,600 in 4:21.

Gage Heyne, English Valleys, senior

Heyne locked up fifth in the 3,200 in 1A as a junior and was sixth in the 1,600.

Owen Marett, Des Moines Roosevelt, senior

For a long stretch, Roosevelt was king of distance races. Marett is adding his name to that list after placing seventh in the 4A 3,200.

Jaden Merrick, Cedar Falls, junior

Merrick just continues to get better and better, as he was fourth in 4A a season ago in 9:09.28. He also took fifth in the 1,600 in 4:18.

Quentin Nauman, Western Dubuque, junior

We are blessed with some incredible distance runners in Iowa, and Nauman could be the best of the bunch. He won the 3A 3,200 in 8:54.11 last year. Nauman added gold in the 1,600 in 4:12.80.

Conall Sauser, Oelwein, senior

Look for Sauser to build off his third in 2A in the 3,200 last season in 9:33 and third in the 1,600 in 4:25.

Matthew Schaul, Maquoketa Valley, senior

Schaul is as good as they come, finishing sixth in 1A in the 3,200 a season ago.

Caleb Ten Pas, Des Moines Christian, junior

Ten Pas secured gold in the 2A 1,600 in 4:19.93 and was the runner-up in the 3,200 in 9:25 last year.

Emerson Vokes, Grundy Center, junior

Vokes was fourth in the 2A 3,200 as a sophomore, clocking a time of 9:34, and also placed fourth in the 1,600 in 4:26.

Gunner Wagner, Woodbine, senior

Wagner finished behind two seniors last year in the 1A 3,200, including teammate Landon Bendgen. He went 9:36 for his bronze medal.

Kyle Wagoner, Clarinda, senior

Wagoner will put up a fight to grab gold after placing fifth in 2A in the 3,200 last year and matched it by placing fifth in the 1,600..

Ethan Zuber, Ankeny, senior

Zuber is a special talent, shining bright for the Hawks on the big stage for the past several years. Last season, he won the 4A 3,200 in just under nine minutes. Zuber was denied the distance double, finishing second in the 1,600.