Sprinting to Victory
Upcoming State Championships go hand in hand with anxiety and hope for the Kadets. Air Academy, a powerhouse of state championships, is gearing up for this year’s track competition. To compete at State, an athlete must be in the top 18 in his/her event of the whole state of Colorado. For perspective, there are 72 teams in 4A track and over a hundred athletes on each team. The competitions between these athletes are enormous and a fraction of a second can determine 1st or 3rd.
This being said, only the best of the best get in. Katie Rainsberger is one of these athletes. Katie, a sophomore and a returning State runner-up, had achieved second in the 800, second in the 1600, and 3rd in the 4×800 with returning Kayla Wiitala from the 2013 Track State Championship. Katie is going to repeat these events in the 2014 Track State Championships and she is a strong favorite.
Katie is not the only state hopeful. Jordyn Grulkowski, Olivia Evans, and Andy Boyle are all aiming for State this year.
Jordyn Grulkowski, a junior, is seeded second in the Women’s Long Jump. Olivia Evans, a senior, is aimed to compete at State for the 3200. Andy Boyle, also a senior, is aiming for a State spot in the 3200. When asked how he felt about state, he said, “I’m excited, but determined to make it. I’ve been training hard every day”. While the statistics do put up intense and close times, nothing is concrete. Times can drop and every day is different.
As spring comes around and Colorado’s bi polar weather becomes more vibrant, times are swaying every day. Wind is a major factor and can mess up sprints, long distance, and even the long jump for athletes.
It is good to know that even with the massive competition and pressure upon these athletes, they are juggling school academics as well. It does not matter how our Kadet Athletes compete, but how they achieved such a success. Even coming close to State is near impossible and should be celebrated. No one knows what will happen in May, but Air Academy should be excited for our athletes.