By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Tanner Newkirk's record-setting performance in last Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational track and field meet cemented the Hayden senior star's place among the all-time city best.
But Newkirk's city meet records in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters also rekindled memories of just how good Topeka track has been over the years.
Newkirk became only the fifth city athlete to crack the city meet list since 2010 and the first since former Washburn Rural and current Washburn University pole-vaulter Zac Chandler set the boys pole vault record with a clearance of 15 feet, 6 inches in 2018.
Hayden senior Tanner Newkirk recovers after setting one of his three city meet records in last Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]
Tanner Newkirk is congratulated by his father, former Emporia state champ Kevin Newkirk, after his record-setting performance in the 1,600 meters in last Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]
Newkirk's 1,600 time of 4:10.88 eclipsed the record of 4:19.1 set by Topeka West's Bill Myers 47 years ago (1975) and his 9:18.89 clocking in the 3,200 bettered the record of 9:32.6, also set in 1975, by Topeka West's David Foltz.
Newkirk's 1:55.69 time in the 800 bettered the previous city-meet record of 1:57.3 by Topeka High's David Faulkner in 1991.
Newkirk joins a list of city-meet record-holders that includes the likes of all-time Kansas greats Marcel Carter, Troy Wilson and Iain Trimble (Shawnee Heights), Jared Huske (Highland Park), Sharrieff Hazim (Topeka West) and Dan O'Mara (Hayden).
On the girls side, the city meet list includes city greats Jocelyn Bentley (Highland Park), Rita Graves and Janell Wright (Topeka High), Macahla Wesley (Topeka West), Deana Alexander (Shawnee Heights) and Marge Eddy (Seaman).
Listed below is the updated list of record-holders in the city meet, previously known as the City Track Carnival.
TOPEKA CITY TRACK AND FIELD MEET RECORDS
(Current events only)
GIRLS
100 high hurdles 14.6 Akilah Carter, Shawnee Heights 1993
14.6 Janell Wright, Topeka High 1998
4 x 800 relay 9:26.5 Seaman 1986
100 11.61 Macahla Wesley, Topeka West 2010
1,600 5:15.0 Rebecca Smith, Topeka West 1989
4 x 100 relay 48.6 Highland Park 1998
400 *56.7 Jocelyn Bentley, Highland Park 1978
300 hurdles 45.2 Colleen McKinney, Topeka West 1990
800 2:18.8 Christie Caywood, Washburn Rural 1995
200 *24.7 Jocelyn Bentley, Highland Park 1978
*3,200 11:18.1 Marge Eddy, Seaman 1986
4 x 400 relay 4:00.6 Seaman 1986
High jump 5-10 Rita Graves, Topeka High 1982
Long jump 19-4.75 Abreanna Parker, Shawnee Heights 2010
Triple jump 40-8.5 Sasha Spann, Highland Par, 2005
Shot put 43-12 Micah Wesley, Highland Park 2007
Discus 131-3 Crystal Kemp, Topeka High 2001
Javelin 148-5 Deana Alexander, Shawnee Heights 1992
Pole vault 12-0 Katie Thurbon, Washburn Rural 2010
BOYS
110 hurdles 13.82 Jared Huske, Highland Park 2005
4 x 800 relay 7:54.6 Topeka West 1994
100 10.2 Marcel Carter, Shawnee Heights 1989
1,600 4:10.88 Tanner Newkirk, Hayden 2022
4 x 100 relay 42.4 Topeka High 1986
400 48.7 Marcel Carter, Shawnee Heights 1989
48.7 Winston Tidwell, Topeka West 1993
300 hurdles 36.93 Jared Huske, Highland Park 2005
800 1:55.69 Tanner Newkirk, Hayden 2022
200 21.5 Marcel Carter, Shawnee Heights 1989
3,200 9:18.89 Tanner Newkirk, Hayden 2022
4 x 400 relay 3:21.8 Topeka West 1981
Pole vault 15-6 Zac Chandler, Washburn Rural 2018
High jump 7-1 Sharrieff Hazim, Topeka West 1982
Long jump 23-9.25 DeCorey Harvey, Highland Park 1992
Triple jump 49-0 Harun Hazim, Topeka West 1990
Shot put 62-11 Troy Wilson, Shawnee Heights 1989
Discus 171-1 Dan O'Mara, Hayden 1985
Javelin 223-7 Iain Trimble, Shawnee Heights 2007
Note: As marks are bettered using the metric conversion chart found in the KSHSAA track manual, the English marks will be dropped. For the present, metric conversions of all records are starred.
