Over the weekend, several of Kansas and Missouri's top returning track and field athletes opened their competitive years on the indoor track at Washburn University. Washburn's Be Your Best Series #1 meet featured some of the top runners, jumpers, and throwers from across both states, including a US No. 1 performance from one top female hurdler.
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Kyndall Spain Runs US No. 1 60mH Mark
Missouri's top 100 and 300 meter hurdler, Cardinal Ritter's Kyndall Spain, has already made a statement this winter that she means business in her senior season. On Saturday, Spain hit a US No. 1 60m Hurdle mark of 8.54, just a few ticks off her personal best of 8.41 from last March's New Balance Nationals Indoor meet and nearly 0.3 seconds faster than her 8.80 opener on this same weekend in 2023. She also posted a personal best of 7.75 in the 60m Dash finals. It seems the 13.46/42.43 100/300 meter hurdler is already tracking towards more national glory. She officially committed to the University of South Carolina in November.
Not to be outdone, Kyndall's sister Logynn, an eighth grader, cleared 11 meters in the triple jump for the first time in her career, finishing the weekend with an 11.05m personal best.
MO Indoor Rankings | National Indoor Rankings
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Aria Pearce Kicks Off Her Sophomore Campaign With More Fireworks
Aria Pearce ran unattached last spring due to competition restrictions set forth by the KSHSAA, but nevertheless, she posted one of the most impressive freshman campaigns in the entire country. She ended her 9th grade season with personal bests on the outdoor track of 11.38 in the 100 meter dash, 23.14 in the 200 meter dash, and 55.71 in the 400 meter dash. She won the RunningLane Track Championships 400 meter dash and finished 5th at the USATF Junior Olympics in the 100 meter dash, and competed at the national U20 Championships.
This weekend, Pearce opened up her indoor season with KS No. 1 marks in the 60 and 200 meter dash, posting marks of 7.62 and 24.16. Neither were personal bests as she ran 7.48 in 8th grade and 23.54 in the 200 last February. Continue to watch for her to compete against high school, collegiate, and even some professionals over the next 7 months as she looks to build off last year's successes.
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MO and KS Quick Hitters
Truman's Katelyn Wink opened her season with a 5.65m (18-6.5) mark in the long jump, finishing just ahead of former Class 4 State Champion Jordin McGee. McGee cleared 6.25m this past summer and Wink cleared 6.03m.
Macon's Caelan Harland is back in action for his senior season. Last year he vaulted over 5 meters (16-4.75) 11 times between the indoor and outdoor seasons, including a 5.31m all-conditions personal best at the New Mexico Lobo Indoor Classic. This weekend, he opened at 4.8m (15-9) and bested Kansas 6A State Runner-Up Mason Hill on jumps.
Missouri Class 3 State Cross Country Champion Brian Burns opened up his indoor season with a 1:57.48 mark in the 800 meters, but was bested by Kansas 2A State Cross Country Champion Cody Hammond. Hammond's 1:56.13 clocking was 3 seconds better than his previous indoor best and just a second off his outdoor best of 1:55.11. Hammond also won the 1600 meter run in 4:33.58, holding off Shawnee Mission East's Jack Broghammer.
Olathe North's Cole Smither has put the state on notice with his massive high jump personal best. Smith nearly cleared 7 feet on Saturday, hitting 2.10 meters (6-10.75), shattering his previous all-conditions best of 6-4 from his freshman season.
Blue Valley North's Audrey Brown had her season cut short last spring, but has already opened her 24-25 season with a 56.90 indoor personal best in the 400 meter dash. This mark is just a shade off her 56.74 from last spring's Kansas Relays.