By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- Tanner Newkirk didn't have to wait long to run his first race in the 2022 Class 4A state track meet, with the Hayden senior star stepping on the track for the 3,200 meters at Cessna Stadium at about 8 a.m. Friday morning.
But then again Newkirk had been waiting for that race for a long, long time.
Tanner Newkirk became only the fifth runner in Kansas history to eclipse the nine-minute mark in Friday's Class 5A Class 4A 3,200 meters, winning in 8:58.88. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hayden senior Tanner Newkirk on top of the awards stand after winning the 4A 3,200 meters Friday morning at Cessna Stadium. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
After running at state and earning a pair of medals as a freshman, Newkirk missed his sophomore track season due to COVID-19 and missed his junior state meet with an injury.
The Kansas signee made up lost time in a big way, winning by nearly 35 seconds in 8 minutes, 58.88 seconds while shattering the previous 4A state meet record by nearly 27 seconds and running the fifth-fastest 3,200 time in Kansas history by becoming only the fith runner all-time to break nine minutes in the race.
"In my mind I've been racing this race a thousand times before I even stepped up there so it was really good just to be out there,'' Newkirk said. "I couldn't sleep the past couple of days. It's really caused a lot of anxiety so it was really good to finally start the meet and start off on a really, really amazing note.''
With Friday's win Newkirk captured his first state track championship to go with the 4A cross country title he won as a junior.
Newkirk ran with last fall's 4A cross country champ, Sawyer Schmidt of Augusta, for the early portion of the race before steadily increasing his lead over the next several laps and running alone at the end. Schmidt was second in 9:33.14, while Buhler's Hayden Keller was third in 9:40.23.
"I just wanted to make it hurt quick and see who could hold on,'' he said.
And although there may be no such thing as a perfect race, Newkirk doesn't think Friday's race could have gone any better than it did.
"I don't think so,'' Newkirk said. "That was excactly what I needed to do. That was a really good race and I think I ran it almost perfectly.''
Newkirk is only one third of the way home in his bid for a 4A distance sweep, but after running early Friday he has plenty of time to rest before running the 1,600 after 2 p.m. on Saturday and the 800 a few hours after that.
"I've got over 24 hours to rest so I'll just roll out an ice bath and a salt bath and get ready for tomorrow,'' he said.
Rossville senior Briar Gillum finished second in Friday's Class 3A girls shot put at Cessna Stadium. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
ROSSVILLE'S GILLUM 3A RUNNER-UP IN SHOT PUT
Rossville senior Briar Gillum held the event lead for much of the competiition beffore Eureka's Abby Singhateh got offf a big throw to take the state title by 4.50 inches.
Singhateh won the event at 41 feet, 10.50 inches while Gillum was second at 41-6.
Washburn Rural's Raegen Petersen finished seventh in the 6A girls discus at 111-2 while Hayden's Sean McConnell was seventh in the 4A boys shot put at 49-7.75.
Washburn Rural senior Zach Sulzen-Watson competes in the 6A shot put event Friday at Cessna Stadium. Sulzen-Watson was third at 54-1.25. [Submitted photo]
SULZEN-WATSON TOP THREE IN 6A SHOT
Washburn Rural senior Zach Sulzen-Watson continued his outstanding spring in the throws, placing third in the 6A shot put Friday morning.
Sulzen-Watson had a best throw of 54 feet, 1.25 inches to crack the top three while Kenneth Huston of Shawnee Mission East won the event at 59-7.50.
Sulzen-Watson, a double regional champion, will compete in the discus event at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Topeka West junior Lenny Njoroge finishes fourth in the 5A boys 3,200 Friday morning in his state track debut. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
NJOROGE FOURTH IN 5A 3,200
Like Newkirk, Topeka West junior distance standout Lenny Njoroge didn't even get a chance to run at state a year ago.
After winning the 3,200 in the city meet, Njoroge suffered a broken leg the following day in a soccer game, an injury that kept him out of the remainder of the track season and all of his junior cross country campaign.
But Njoroge, who missed his freshman track season due to COVID-19, finally made his state track debut on Friday morning, finishing fourth in the 5A 3,200 in 9:33.36.
"I'm extremely proud,'' Njoroge said. "The Leavenworth kid in the last 100 got me (for third) bu there's always work to improve every meet and learn. I'm just happy I'm back.
"I'm ready for next year. Next year's going to be fun.''
Shawnee Heights sophomore Jackson Esquibel posted a sixth-place finish in 9:36.78.
Washburn Rural junior Madeline Carter earned a state medal in the 6A girls 3,200, finishing eighth in 11:26.62.
SIPPLE, RICHARDSON PLACE IN 5A LONG JUMP
Topeka West senior Zsamar Sipple and Highland Park junior Tre Richardson earned state medals in the 5A boys long jump, placing third and fifth.
Sipple, who won a 6A state title as a junior, finished third with a jump of 22-3.25 while Richardson was fifth at 21-4.
WEST'S JONES FOURTH IN TRIPLE JUMP
Topeka West junior MaKinsey Jones placed fourth in the 5A girls triple jump Friday morning, with a best jump of 34-9.
Hayley Loewen of Newton won the event at 35-11.25.
