A handful of Kansas track and field stars traveled south thisi past weekend to take on many of Texas' best in the Great American Track and Field Classic, held in Dallas June 8-9.
Michael Hoffer of Shawnee Heights took home a pair of gold medals, winning the long jump (24-4) and triple jump (48-9). Both were career best marks for Hoffer, who won both events at the class 5A state championships two weeks ago,
They also moved Hoffer up the national ranking lists. He now sits at No 3 in the long jump and No. 22 in the triple jump.
Sterling freshman Tyus Wilson, the state champion in class 3A this year, beat Hoffer in the high jump, clearing 6-8 for first place. Hoffer, the Kansas 5A champion, was second at 6-6.
Wilson, who earlier this cleared 7-0, is the No. 1 ranked freshman jumper in the United States this season.
Sam Hankins of Manhattan is the No. 3 javelin thrower in the U.S. this year, and he backed that up by winning that event at the Great American meet. He threw 185-7, about 25 feet under his season best.
Matt Everett, a junior from Winfield, won the discus with a toss of 189-6, just seven feet off his career best. Everett is the No. 10 discus thrower in the country currently.
Also at the meet, Hutchinson's Tayezhan Crough placed second in the 110 hurdles (14.45) and the 300 hurdles (40.19).
Among Kansas girls, Christal Mosley of Wichita Southeast was the only double-winner, clocking 55.55 to win the 400 meters and then running a leg on the victorious 4 X 100 meter relay.
Her teammates on that relay were Leavenworth's Wynter Ramos, and Newton's Kalli Anderson and Savannah Simmons. The team's time was 46.56.
Anderson was second (11.90) and Simmons was sixth (12.25) in the 100. Anderson also finished second in the 200 (24.56) while Mosley was third (24.57).
In the girls' shot put, Markita Swanagan of Leavenworth won the gold medal with a toss of 39-1. Swanagan, a senior, was the class 5A state champion this year in the shot put and discus.
The Great American Track and Field Classic featured mostly Texas athletes, though the Kansas contingent had the second most athletes competing. Colorado was also represented at the meet.