Not Playing Around At The Simplot Games


Sydney Holiday put together a big weekend, running two PRs and winning the 200.

Snow and ice shut down a portion of I-80, diverting a bus full of Colorado tracksters hoping to compete at the Simplot Games, but that didn't stop *some* of them from finding other means of getting to Idaho. 

Despite the additional challenges of getting to the meet, there were quite a few big performances coming from the Centennial State athletes.

Among the highlights - and there were many - was Marlena Preigh

The Fairview senior came back to defend her title in the 800 and proved that getting to Idaho, and winning clearly wasn't enough. She made the most of her time on the track, dominating the field with a 2:06.80 clocking. 

You read that right. 

Preigh ran 2:06.80 in the 800. That's the No. 2 time in the country, and a new personal best. Additionally, that's the second fastest 800 run by a Colorado girl indoors over the past decade. Claiming the No. 1 spot is Elise Cranny and her 2:06.47 from NBNI in 2014.


Another bright spot came from Sydney Holiday, who went 7.62 to finish third in the 60 for a PR, and she was just getting started.

The Broomfield junior rallied back to win the 200 in her second PR of the weekend in 24.34 - that's the No. 23 time in the country. 


We caught our first glimpse of the defending 5A state 400 meter champ Lily Williams, who ran her first quarter mile of 2019. The Grandview junior won the 400 in 56.46 off one week of practice. Clearly, she'll be a force this outdoor season. 

And giving Colorado the 1-2 sweep in the 400 was Valor Christian's Reese Dragovich, who finished second in 57.76, which is a new PR.

Anna Shults endured the grueling process of running two heats of the 3,200 - a prelim and a final. Despite the challenge, Shults finished second in the event in 11:03. 

Mia Manson was on was one of the many who endured being stranded for a day and had to find alternative ways to not only get herself to Idaho, but her pole vault poles as well. Despite the challenge she went on to finish second in the pole vault in 11-11.75.

In the throws Jane Powers put together another big weekend, placing second in the weight throw in 51-6.50, and fifth in the shot put in 37-11.

The boy's side of the competition had a few insightful performances that'll bode well once we get outdoors in another month. 

In the 60 hurdles Joel Nyatusah ran 8.10 to finish second, just off his 8.01 PR. 

And keep an eye on Arvada West's Nicholas Nuhfer. The junior ran a new PR of 50.03 in the 400 to finish third. 

Max Manson did Max Manson things in the pole vault: win. The Monarch senior dominated the event with a 16-9 victory. 

In the throws Cian Quiroga went 66-7 in his first weight throw competition of 2019 to finish third. 

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