4A state track: Meeks gets redemption, Dwol gets a record and other notes from Day 1

LAKEWOOD – Giavonna Meeks got redemption, while Agur Dwol got a record.

Two of the state’s best highlighted the competition on the first day of the Class 4A state track and field meet Thursday at Jeffco Stadium.

Dwol, a senior from Mullen, set a Colorado prep record in the 4A girls triple jump with a leap of 42 feet, 5.5 inches. Earlier this year, she became the first athlete in state history to top 42 feet.

Dwol won her third career state title in the triple jump and is also the defending champion in the long jump. She’ll compete in the long jump on Friday.

Meeks, meanwhile, fell short of a record, but finally got her first state title in the shot put.

A senior at Northfield, Meeks was the overwhelming favorite to win the shot put a year ago when she dislocated her ankle during warm-ups.

This time, she had a throw of 47 feet, 2 inches to easily win the title, coming up just a half of an inch shy of the 4A state meet record.

“I’m very happy with how today went considering how my season was going,” Meeks said.

A year ago, Meeks’ injury cost her three months of competition, including nationals.

“It was pretty disappointing watching everyone compete and not being able to but I’m thankful I can come out here today and just have some redemption,” she said. “It was a big deal for me. This is my season best. I think my PR is 47-3, so I was close to my PR. This season, I was focusing more on hammer and discus, so just to come out here and be able to throw almost the state meet record is pretty amazing.”

On Saturday, Meeks will aim to defend her state title in the discus.

Durango’s Sydney Flores was second in the shot put with a season-best throw of 38-5.25.

Also in 4A girls, Thompson Valley’s Elizabeth Heumann won the high jump with a leap of 5-4. She topped city rival Carlotta Feldenkirchen of Mountain View (5-3).

Niwot won the girls 3,200-meter relay with a time of 9 minutes, 9:24.75, with Durango (9:33.13) in second.

On the boys side, it was a good day for Cheyenne Mountain.

Antoni Smith came in as the favorite in the high jump and won his first title with a leap of 6 feet, 8 inches. He was fourth a year ago.

“Very excited,” he said. “I don’t want to say I was confident. I was definitely nervous, but I feel like being nervous is what makes me perform better. And the competition was right there and I felt great that I was first today.”

Smith was an inch shy of his personal record, but knocked off second-place KJ McInnis of Denver North (6-5).

On the track, the Red-Tailed Hawks won the 3,200-meter relay with a time of 7:50.31, edging Longmont (7:52.34). Although not a part of the relay, Smith was thrilled to see Cheyenne Mountain take two of the four finals Thursday.

“I love this school,” he said. “The coaches are awesome. They support us so much. The whole team is very close. We do so much together. … I love all the guys. I wouldn’t want to run for any other team or jump for any other team.

“I have so much confidence in our team. I think we can get (the team title).”

In addition to its second-place finish in the relay, Longmont crowned an individual champion. Senior Caleb Johnson tied his personal record and the school record with a leap of 46 feet, 9 inches to win his first-ever state title in the boys triple jump. Grand Junction’s Miller Jones was second (46-4.5).

In the shot put, Pueblo Central’s Kyle Bigley won his first state title with a throw of 55 feet, 3.75 inches. He was fifth a year ago. Pueblo East’s Xavier Freeman was runner-up for the second consecutive season (52-2.25).