Lexington and Ontario Shine in 4x800 Relays at State Track Championships

COLUMBUS - The Division III Jesse Owens State Track and Field Championships kicked off in spectacular fashion for both Lexington and Ontario, whose 4x800 meter relay teams made a strong showing. By mid-morning on Friday, both squads had secured podium finishes, with Lexington's team of Katya Prykhodko, Jersie Palmer, Morgan Harrod, and Mia Twedt finishing third in a time of 9:26.36, while Ontario's quartet of Xavier Trent, Michael Ward, Xander Chitwood, and Jase Young took fourth place with a time of 7:52.00.

"The state tournament is all about the place and fighting for it more than it is about times," Prykhodko remarked. She emphasized the importance of teamwork and the successful race they executed, despite the desire to improve their individual times. Lexington's performance marked their season's best, only surpassed by Oakwood's new state record of 9:07.10 and Hathaway Brown's 9:12.89, which ranks them among the nation's top competitors.

Harrod expressed optimism for the future, stating, "We all wished we could do a little better, but it went the way it should have... I always have next year to hopefully get my times down." Twedt added advice for her teammates on handling the pressure of competition, emphasizing the need to maintain focus and stay in their zone.

The Warriors also faced the challenge of the heat but managed to secure their spot on the podium. "It was definitely a challenge, but we did things to combat the conditions," Trent noted, reflecting on their preparation for the race. Although they were vying for gold, Chitwood pointed out that their time would have secured them a championship last year, indicating the heightened level of competition this season.

In an impressive individual performance, Clear Fork's Katrina Neal captured fourth place in the Division III 3200-meter run finals, achieving a personal best of 10:55.88. She was outpaced by three-time state champion Sophia Szolosi, who set a new meet record with a time of 9:17.47. "I am very happy with how I finished," Neal commented, acknowledging the quality of the competition she faced.