Bryce Reeburgh sprints towards the finish line in the 13-14 1,500.
If it hasn't been hot enough outside, Coloradans brought an additional fire to the track this July.
Teams from across the southwest region descended on Aurora this past weekend for the Region 10 Junior Olympic Championships. There was a slew of impressive performances spanning high school to middle school. Clearly, Colorado came out to represent on their home track.
We'll start with high school highlights...
Colorado made it a sweep in the 15-16 100, with Valor Christian's Gavin Sawchuk taking the title in 10.88. Hot on his heels were Sterling Brassfield and Keirryse Simpson. Brassfield went 11.02 for the runner-up spot, while Simpson was third in 11.19.
In the 17-18 division Zion Gordon was the runner-up in a close race. Gordon went 10.86, just .1 out of the win.
Sawchuk and Simpson swapped out positions in the 15-16 200. This time it was Simpson claiming the victory, running 22.05 to Sawchuk's 22.56.
In the 17-18 division Harrison's Tyrese VanHorne was the runner-up, running 21.71.
Langston Williams made it a Colorado sweep of the sprints, as he took the 400 win in 49.73. A half-second back was Denver East's Carson Ebersbach, who ran 50.47 for second.
Likewise, VanHorne dominated in his signature event, winning the 400 in 48.08 after going 47.76 in the prelims.
James Murphy won the 17-18 800 in 2:01.22. Welch claimed two more titles, making it a sweep of the 15-16 distance events. He won the 1,500 in 4:14, and the 3,000 in 9:30.
In the hurdles Gregory Anderson took the W in the 15-16 110. Anderson went 15.28 for nearly a half-second victory.
The 17-18 division saw a clash between Joel Nyatusah and Zion Gordon. The duo took the race to the line, with Nyatusah claiming the win in 14.22 to Gordon's 14.37.
The 15-16 400 hurdles was a close race, with Anderson just a tenth of a second out of the win. Anderson ran 58.08 to finish second.
In the 2,000 steeplechase Sadio Fenner continued to perfect his craft. Fenner won the 17-18 division in 6:27, 11 seconds ahead of Tyler Scholl, who ran 6:38 for second.
The 15-16 high jump was a hotly contested affair, with Ralston Valley's Jacob Cook and Donte Marsh both going 6-0.75, while the 16-18 high jump was all Jequan Hogan. Hogan went 6-8.75 to win the event by two inches. And that wasn't the highlight of his meet - that came in the triple jump, where he went 51-08. The mark is No. 1 in the country this year.
In the 15-17 long jump Langston Williams was the clear winner, going 21-11.5, while Hunter Potrykus took the 15-16 pole vault with a mark of 13-9.
Tyler Nelson was the winner in the 17-18 discus with a toss of 157-11, while Valor Christian's Stuart Folkerts dominated the hammer with a toss of 185-8.
For the girls, Teagan Zwaanstra and Camille Peisner both went 12.43 in the 15-16 100, while Maya Provencal and Jaiden Paris went 2-3 in the 17-18 100, going 12.19, and 12.22.
Peisner did get a clear victory in the 200, however, going 24.72 for a half-second win, while Provencal picked up her second runner-up finish in the 17-18 200, going 24.95.
Niwot's Taylor James was the runaway winner in the 15-16 400. James won the event in 59.01. The 17-18 400 was a much closer race, with Mead's Abby Glynn running 57.16 for the win over Aliyah George's 56.37.
Skyler Gee made it another Colorado victory ion the 17-18 800, running 2:23 for the win.
In the 15-16 400 hurdles it was all Lily Acosta. Acosta ran away with a 1:05.85 victory. Likewise, Colorado went 1-2 in the 17-18 division, with Esther Diza-Mbelolo taking the win in 1:04.41. Helen Maley was second in 1:05.38.
Winning the 17-18 long jump was Chian DeLoach, who went 18-01, while Kristina Willis dominated the 15-16 pole vault in 11-9.75. Likewise, there wasn't anyone who could go to new heights with Hayley Rayburn. She won the 17-18 division in 12-5.5.
Claiming the 15-16 discus was Douglas County's Sarah Sams, who won the event ion 123-5, while Amanda Opp won the hammer in 141-8. Joy Gerow won the 17-18 division of the hammer with a toss of 135-10, while Jane Powers won the 17-18 shot in 39-10.
In the 17-18 division of the decathlon Alexander Crowley of Glenwood Springs was the winner going away. Crowley tallied 5,731 points to claim the event by well over 1,000 points.
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