KYtrackXC.com just finished its third season covering Kentucky high school track and field, which brings the 3rd Annual KYtrackXC.com Outdoor Awards. As with previous years, the awards will be presented in the categories of Sprinter of the Year, Distance Runner of the Year, and Field Event Athlete of the Year. These awards are regardless of school classification. Congratulations to all the athletes who participated in track and field this year.
Girls Awards
Sprinter of the Year:
Chelsea Brown (Butler) – Though only a sophomore, Brown is taking home her second consecutive Sprinter of the Year award. Chelsea won two titles at the Class AAA Kentucky State Track Meet on June 2nd. She came in first in the 400m Dash with a state best of 56.98 then crossed the finish line first in the 300m Hurdles with a time of 44.22, another state best. These were her fifth and sixth career KHSAA state titles.
100m – 12.74
200m - 25.71
400m – 56.98
300m Hurdles – 44.22
Distance Runner of the Year:
Mary Grace Pellegrini (duPont Manual) – This junior overcame consistency issues from the past and established herself as the best girls distance runner in the state this track season. Pellegrini won her first career KHSAA state title in the 1600m Run with a time of 5:04.12. She then turned around and won the 3200m Run title with a mark of 10:59.03. She also was the 2007 KYtrackXC.com Indoor Distance Runner of the Year. Her season did not end at the state meet as she finished sixth at the Nike Outdoor Nationals Girls Emerging Mile Run with a best time of 5:01.53.
800m – 2:18.4
1600m – 4:59.78*
3200m - 10:55.15*
* Converted from similar distance
Field Event Athlete of the Year:
Sharika Smith (Fulton County) – Smith, a junior, had a great KHSAA State Track Meet this June. She won the Class A Triple Jump and Long Jump, leading to her Field Event Athlete of the Year award, but she did not stop there. She also won the Class A 100m and 200m Dash races, setting the Class A 200m Dash record in the preliminaries on the first night with a time of 24.82. In winning her third Triple Jump title, she broke her own Overall Kentucky State record of 39-00 with a leap of 39-03.25. Her performances in the 100m, 200m, LJ, and TJ were all the best in the state regardless of class. Smith was the 2005 KYtrackXC.com Field Event Athlete of the Year.
100m- 12.17
200m- 24.82
400m- 58.70
Long Jump- 18-01.50
Triple Jump- 39-03.25
High Jump- 4-10
Boys Sprinter of the Year
Derrick Stallworth (Fort Campbell) – This senior came into the KHSAA Class A State Track Meet a four-time champion and finished the weekend with three more titles. Stallworth won the 100m Dash with a 10.97 and was on the winning 400m Relay and 800m Relay teams. Stallworth, the Class A 200m State Record holder from last season, will continue his career next year at Eastern Kentucky University.
100- 10.75
200- 21.94
Long Jump- 21-11.50
Boys Distance Runner of the Year
Brian Long (St. Xavier) – Long, a senior, showed he was not only the best distance runner in Kentucky but also one of the best in the nation. He went to the prestigious Penn Relays and won the 3000m Run with a 8:24.37. After the big win in Pennsylvania he came back to Kentucky and won the Class AAA 1600m Run at the KHSAA State Track Meet with a time of 4:26.09. Long was the 2007 KYtrackXC.com Indoor Distance Runner of the Year and will be running for the Villanova Wildcats next year.
800- 1:59.42
1600- 4:15.67
3200- 9:16.20
Boys Field Event Athlete of the Year
Chrys Jones (Mercer County) – Senior Jones dominated jumps in the state of Kentucky this spring. He put his name in the record books last year with the Class A Triple Jump record while at Harrodsburg. One school consolidation later and he is in Class AA with a shot for more records. He took advantage of the opportunity, earning state titles in the Triple Jump and Long Jump. His winning jump of 50-02.50 broke the Class AA and Overall State Triple Jump record. His Long Jump leap of 23-08.25 overtook the previous Class AA mark. Jones was the 2007 KYtrackXC.com Indoor Field Event Athlete of the Year and will continue his career at Centre College next year.
Triple Jump- 50-09.00
Long Jump- 24-00.25
High Jump- 6-04.00