By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks, TopSports.news will recognize hundreds of Shawnee County's all-time greats in 25 sports/categories as part of our Best of the Best project. Readers will have the opportunity to vote through July, with the Top 25 in all categories announced in August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on: https://linkto.run/p/1L492R3G. Email votes/nominations will also be accepted at
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The race to be named the best women's track and field athlete in Shawnee County history should be a great one.
Topeka High product Judy Dyer was an Olympic hurdler while Topeka West's Sarah Heeb is a former American record-holder in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and former Shawnee Heights star Trisa Nickoley was one of the most decorated athletes in Kansas history, winning 13 state track gold medals without ever losing a state individual race and setting the all-time best in the 800 meters (2 minutes, 06.67 seconds).
Judy Dyer
Trisa Nickoley [MIssouri Athletics]
Another Heights grad, Deana Alexander, was a four-time Missouri Valley champion in the javelin while sprinters Lori Green (Topeka West), Jocelyn Bentley (Highland Park), Macahla Wesley (Topeka West), Sana Crim (Highland Park) and GeeGee Johnson (Topeka West) all earned spots on Kansas' all-time list.
Former Topeka High Janelle Wright set a Class 6A state record in the 100-meter hurdles and was a 5-foot-10 high-jumper while Rita Graves (Topeka High) and Shannon Parr (Rossville) also cleared 5-10 in the high jump, DeeDee Buzzi (Washburn Rural), Colleen McKinney (Topeka West) and Clarissa Keeling (Highland Park) were star hurdlers and Abreanna Parker (Shawnee Heights) and Raianna Maples (Topeka High) were 19-foot long-jumpers, Sasha Spann (Highland Park) is No. 2 all-time in Kansas in the triple jump (41-5) and Vandora Wilson (Highland Park) ranks No. 6 in the shot put (45-5.5).
There are 25 candidates listed to pick from at https://linkto.run/p/1L492R3G while readers are encouraged to write in the names of their favorites.
Vote as many times as you wish, with the only requirement that eligible candidates must have grown up in Shawnee County or attended one of the county's 10 high schools.
Final selections will be based on reader vote as well as input from TSN contributors and current and past local sports media professionals.
Votes will be accepted through July 31 before TSN publishes our Best of the Best lists in August.
NEXT UP: Men's track and field.
