Taylor Alexander has already broken the 1A all-time pole vault record this season, her own state meet record is next in view. Colorado Track XC file photo.
If you haven't been paying close attention, you might be a little suprised by how many records have been broken already this season in Colorado high school track and field. I've listed below the breakages I've been able to detect. Please fill me in on any I've missed.
All-Classification records
The George Washington SMR8 broke their own all-classification record in this event earlier this season with a 1:42.98. Aliyah Briggs, Alexis Groce, Alexandria Groce, and Dior Hall did the deed at the Thomas Jefferson Twilight Invitational
Blake Yount broke the all-classification 800 meter mark but did not remove the asterisk from the record. Yount's time of 1:51.63 edges out Kirk Webb's record from the state meet a couple of years back, but there is still the troubling issue of the 1:51.23 that James Hatch ran in Ohio in 2001. Truthfully, though, the record is Yount's. You need only to consider how many times the Colorado 1600 and 3200 records have been bettered by out-of-state marks. Running distance is different at lower altitude. Still, it will be nice when someone runs faster than 1:51.23 here in Colorado. If Mr. Yount would do that at the state meet, I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one standing up and cheering.
This isn't really a new mark, but the 13-4 pole vault mark by Elizabeth Stover from her regional meet in 2008 is now the accepted state record. Somehow, the paperwork submitted for that mark got lost but has now been resubmitted and accepted. The newly-accepted (by CHSAA) girls pole vault record is 13-4.
5A Records
The GW SMR8 mark and Blake Yount's 800 meter mark are, of course, both 5A records as well.
While a handful of other 5A marks are potentially in danger at the state meet, the only other one that has been bettered during the season is the discus mark. Josephine Natrasevschi now holds the 5A all-time best at 154-7.
4A Records
We'll start with one that will never be recognized as a CHSAA mark. Haley Showalter's 5kg hammer toss of 183-1 on Saturday not only eclipses all previous high school marks for Colorado (not that there were many), but it also would have placed her 7th at last year's DII nationals meet at CSU-Pueblo.
Nicole Montgomery of Lewis-Palmer shaved her own 400-meter mark down to 54.01 last weekend. Colt Sessions improved his own 4A all-time best high jump mark to 7-0 in April at the Mullen Runners Roost.
3A Records
No 3A records have been broken yet this season, though there are a couple that could be at risk at the state meet.
2A Records
Paul Roberts took down Aucencio Martinez's all-time 1600 record at the St. Vrain Invitational last weekend with a time of 4:20.93. Lutheran took down the 4x400 meter relay at the Liberty Bell Invitational the weekend before with a time of 3:24.21.
And, one more record fell just this weekend when Jennifer Celis of Hotchkiss made a trip to Grand Junction and laid down a 4:58.74 1600. Ironically, the record she took down was owned by one and the same Tabor Scholl who helped push her to the mark.
1A Records
The 1A classification has had a small run on records this spring, but do keep in mind that the oldest of these records are only three years old. We're still making history on a regular basis here, folks.
Earlier this spring, we noted that Prairie's Rebecca Kaiser had set a new long jump mark at 17-1 and tied the triple jump mark at 34-3.5. Since that time, however, Kaiser lost her grip on the triple jump mark when Kirby Vanderpool extended it to 34-6.
Taylor Alexander has upped her own pole vault mark to 11-7.5. Ginger Hutton now owns the 800 meter record at 2:16.01. Dove Creek's Madison Young put her name atop the shot put board with a 36-4.25. And, Morgan Howard bumped her own high jump mark again, this time to 5-5.
For the boys, Clay Russell's 49.76 this weekend at the league meet put the 1A 400 meter mark below 50 seconds, where it belongs. Kyle English nudged both the long and triple jump marks out to new standards of 21-10.75 and 43-11, respectively, earlier in the season. And, Ethan Pence took about a half-second off the 1600 record with a 4:43.12 this weekend.