AUSTIN — Hawkins’ Hunter Fair remained in the running for two gold medals.
Competing in his first of two events, Fair finished first in the 3200-meter dash to capture the area’s lone gold medal on the track Friday at the state meet.
Coming into the meet already with the top time, the junior set a goal to “get under 10 minutes.” Mission accomplished. Fair bolted to the finish line first in commanding fashion, by more than eight seconds in a time of 9 minutes, 55.84 seconds.
Sanderson’s Shawn Stegall placed second at 10:04.23.
Fair failed to medal in the one-mile and two-mile races at last year’s event, placing fourth and fifth in the two events, respectively.
“That gave me a drive to get back,” Fair said of last year’s outcome.
Fair gets a chance for more amends today in the 1600.
The state track meet marked his third time to appear at state this year alone, following trips in cross country and tennis, and preceding a band competition slated for later in the month.
“As long as you have a good work ethic, you’re going to be successful,” he said. “That’s what it boils down to.”
ALSO-RANS
Winona’s Colton Chadbourne came up short of the medal stand twice.
Chadbounre clocked a time of 39.64 seconds in his final race of the day, the 300 hurdles. Earlier, he finsihed ninth in the 110 hurdles at 15.36.
Whitehouse’s Troy Hayden, another multiple state-qualifier, scored points in two different events.
Hayden placed sixth in the 3200 (9:27.28) and sixth in the 1600 (4:21.26).
Elkhart’s Amanda Ham challenged for the top spot in the 800 but never passed Brock’s Kamy Cole in the end. Cole crossed the line in 2:15.67 to edge Ham (2:16.71).
RECORD FASHION
Several state records fell Friday.
Liberty-Eylau’s Jarrion Dawson jumped 25-8 to set a new 3A boys standard during a morning session attended by more than 3,000.
The Lancaster boys’ 800 relay established a new record with a time of 1:24.89.
Carrollton Newman Smith’s Courtney Okolo broke the 4A girls’ previous-best with a 52.40 clocking with a crowd of 17,963 on hand.
FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE
Lancaster swept the Class 4A team track and field titles.
The title marked the ninth for the Lancaster girls. The Lancaster boys hoisted their seventh team trophy, and fifth consecutive.
In Class 2A, Universal City Randolph and Tatum tied for the girls’ crown, while Edna claimed the boys championship.
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UIL State Track and Field Championships
At Myers Stadium, Austin
Area Competitors
Track Events
Jessika Barnhart, Alba-Golden, 2A girls, 300H, 9th, 48.40
Colton Chadbourne, Winona, 2A boys, 110H/300H, 9th/4th, 15.36/39.64
Trevor Chambers, Malakoff, 2A boys, 200, 9th, 22.71
Anna Clark, Elkahrt, 2A girls, 3200, 12:57, 149th
Hunter Fair, Hawkins, 1A boys, 3200, 9:55.84, 1st
Paige Fillmore, Elkhart, 2A girls, 100H, 9th, 16.18
Erik Galaz, Mineola, 2A boys, 400, 6th, 50.15
Amanda Ham, Elkhart, 2A girls, 800, 2nd, 2:16.71
Troy Hayden, Whitehouse, 4A boys, 3200/1600, 6th/6th, 9:27.28/4:21.26
Allissa McClain, Sabine, 2A girls, 800, 9th, 2:25.13