SIOUX FALLS — As the sun set over the Howard Wood Field, Simeon Birnbaum shined on the state’s biggest stage. 

The Rapid City Stevens distance ace etched his name in the state record books at the 97th annual Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday. 

The junior won the 3,200-meter run in Friday’s final event and set a new state record in the event, covering the distance in eight-minutes and :55.22 seconds. The previous record was set by Rapid City Stevens grad, Erik Gumstrup, in 2001 with a time of 8:56.30 

“It’s sweet to have state records go to my school and it’s even more sweet to break them,” Birnbaum said. “Hopefully I will be able to reach out to him at some point. I think that would be really cool.”

Gumstrup would have been proud of his fellow Raider runner on Friday. Birnbaum dazzled the small smattering of fans still in attendance after the boys special 200-meter dash.

Birnbaum noticed the crowd had cleared out shortly after the special event and said it motivated him to perform well. 

“The crowd isn’t going to be as full but that doesn’t mean I can’t put on a show and make them feel like they missed out,” Birnbaum said about his mindset leading into the race. 

They did indeed. Birnbaum quickly jumped ahead of the 25-person field and set a blistering pace. He was right on pace to break the record at each lap and drew cheers louder and louder with each passing lap. 

Among the fans were U.S. Senator John Thune, who was near the finish line and encouraged Birnbaum in the closing meters. Birnbaum, who won the race by 23 seconds over Fargo North’s Owen Sondag, fell to the ground after winning the race and later took in the moment with teammates near the finish line. 

“It feels amazing right now,” Birnbaum said. “Right now, I am still in pain. I lost my vision for what felt like five minutes. I didn’t know what was going on. … It’s been a goal and it feels extra special to do it in actual South Dakota.”

Earlier this season, Birnbaum broke the mile state record at the Arcadia Invitational in California.