Ok.
It's officially May.
And because the 2022 track and field season is the first "normal" season we've had since 2019, that means we're rolling into Championship season.
Clearly.
And I write "clearly" because not one - but two - state records fell this past weekend.
1. Mullen's Agur Dwol leapt a 41-10 in the triple jump at the Liberty Bell Invitational for a Colorado No. 1, and a US No. 1 - that broke Sydnee Larkin's previous state record of 41-7 set in 2018.
Read More: Agur Dwol Leaps 41-10 For Colorado Triple Jump State Record
B. Cherry Creek's Riley Stewart added the 3,200 state record to her resume, running 10:06.23 3,200 state record at Stutler Twilight - that broke Brie Oakley previous state record of 10:09.26 set in 2017.
Read More: Riley Stewart Runs 10:06.23 3,200 Colorado State Record
State records aside, there were plenty of top-tier performances coming out of the weekend.
Warning: There's a lot to chew in this week's recap, so take small bites...
Let's get into it, here are the highlights of the highlights...
We'll start in the Northeast were there was this little dual meet, I keep forgetting the name... Something in Pennsylvania... Something with the word "Relays" in it... It's coming to me... It's coming to me... Oh yeah - the The Penn Relays.Harvard-commit Fabiola Belibi shined for Colorado - she leapt 18-5.75 in the long jump.
Back in Colorado there was plenty to talk about...
Obviously Dwol's state record in the triple jump was the main highlight of the Liberty Bell Track and Field Invitational. Add Valor's Peyton Holmes, who torched a stellar 100 field - and her previous personal best - to win the event in 11.98. The time was led the state for a few hours, but we'll come back to that. Sophia McHenry and Casia Provencal finished 2-3 here, running 12.10, and 12.11. Provencal didn't leave without a W, however - she won the 100H in 14.76. Meanwhile Kilah Freelon ran a 4A No. 2 of 43.90 to win the 300H - that's her first time under 44-seconds. Emily Lamontagne and Keeghan Edwards made the 1,600 a two-woman race, and it was Lamontagne with the fierce kick to win the event in 4:58.37 for a 5A No. 3. Edwards was a close second in 5:02.31. Giavonna Meeks starred in the throws, per the usual. The Vanderbilt-commit won the discus with a toss of 160-0, and the shot put in 41-5.
Lawrence Walker made some serious noise in the 200. The Fountain-Fort Carsen senior torched a state-leading 21.50 to win the event over Castle View's Ace Malone, who ran 21.63. Meanwhile,Luke Dry dropped a CO No. 1 in the 400, running 48.72. On the topic of close finishes - the boy's 800.Drew Costelow, Shalom Trowbridge, and Damian Frausto finished within three-tenths-of-a-second of each other. Costelow took the W in 1:57.42, while Trowbridge was second in 1:57.62, and Frausto was third in1:57.66. Costelow came back Saturday to win the 1,600 in a similar late-kick in 4:16.76, which was just ahead of Connor Kennedy's 4:17.05, and Land Lambert's 4:17.72. Lambert didn't head back to the western slope without a W, however - he won the 3,200 Friday night in 9:31. Dane Eike was second in 9:36.41, which was just ahead of Sullivan Middaugh's 9:36.44. In the long jump Grant Haskins took a narrow-victory over Doren Sacha. Haskins won the event with a leap of 22-9.5, which just over two-inches beyond Sacha's 22-7. In the discus Austin Appiah took a two-foot victory over William Knight, tossing 157-8 to Knight's 155-8.
Exhale.
Friday's winds made for additional challenges across Colorado. Despite that, there was plenty of impressive performances that came out of the Cougar Classic Invitational. Bethany Michalak endured two laps of gusts to win the 800 in 2:18.08, while Isabella Coscetti won the triple jump with a leap of 36-8. In the shot Lamar's Alexandria Tice took on all-comers to win the event in a 3A No. 1 of 41-6. Meanwhile Carsen Bruns swept the hurdles, winning the 110H in 14.25, and the 300H in 38.99.
While Liberty Bell dominated the conversation Saturday morning, Stutler Twilight did Saturday night.
Several hours after Holmes ran a state-leading time in the 100, Symone Adams moved the finish line. The Cherokee Trail junior ran a CO No. 1 of 11.91 to win the event over Julia Pattison, who ran 12.00. Pattison did go on to win the 200, however, running 24.88. Doubling up in distance Kinsey Christianson won a tight 400 race over teammate Kel McDavid, and Pattison - and it took a state-leading time to do it. Christianson ran 56.37, while McDavid was just a few strides back in 56.58, and Pattison was third in 56.60.
On the topic of tight wins over teammates, the girl's 800. Stella Vieth won the event in 2:11.10 over Madison Shults, who was second in 2:11.74. In the 1,600 Bella Nelson joined the Sub-5 club. The Niwot freshman ran 4:57.03 to win the event, and become the third Niwot runner to break 5 in Colorado this season. Ella Johns was second in 5:01.49 PR, which was just ahead of Tatum Berg's 5:03. A staggering 10 girls ran under 5:14. While Stewart's state record in the 3,200 dominated the conversation in the event, Niwot's Eva Klingbeil put together an impressive race herself - she is the fastest 3,200 runner-up in Colorado history - she ran 10:15.59.
In the 100H Gabriella Cunningham took down a stellar field to win the event in 14.58. Kimora Northrup was second in 14.76. In the field events Brooke Naughton starred with a state-leading 5-8 in the high jump. Meanwhile Kaeli Powe won the long jump with a leap of 18-7.5 for a 5A No. 3. Powe also won the triple jump with a leap of 37-10.5. The pole vault saw the 5A state champ verses the 3A state champ for the second time in three days, and this time the results were reversed. Lilly Nichols raised the bar and won the event with a state-leading 13-4. Anna Willis was second with a 12-7 clearance.