Running away with it

The Mach I and Supersonic track-and-field squads brought home four national championships and produced a dozen All-Americans as the summer season came to a close July 28-Aug. 8 at the Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympics in Des Moines, Iowa, July 28-Aug. 8.

Also, Supersonic produced eight top-10 finishes July 30-Aug. 2 at the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation Games of Texas in Bryan.

For Mach I, Josh Fink won a fourth consecutive national championship in the 15-16 Boys division in the 3,000-meter racewalk. He clocked his best time at 13 minutes, 52.97 seconds.

Fink also won a national title in the 15-16 Boys 3,000 run, again posting a personal-record time of 9:59.

His younger sister, Jenna, also defended her national championship in the age 11-Under Girls 1,500 racewalk. She registered a PR time of 8:30.20.

For Supersonic, the 14-Under Boys 4x800 relay team of Sawyer Loe, Colsen Ing, Rayce Blair and Carlito Richards won a national championship with a time of 8:45.75, surpassing their previous best by 21 seconds.

That garnered each of them All-American status once more. Other All-American qualifications for Mach I were:

• Ryder Reis, 9U Boys, second in 1,500 racewalk, 9:38.02 (PR).
• Miguel Martinez, 9U Boys, fifth in 800 run, 2:40 (PR).
• Jenna Fink, 11U Girls, fifth in 3,000 run, 11:00.93 (PR).
• Cole Bettger, 15-16 Boys, eighth in 3,000 run, 9:12 (PR).

"It was awesome to see the majority of athletes that did compete at the Junior Olympics end up getting a PR in their race and a great way to finish the season," Mach I coach Lupe Torres said.

"As far as Josh and Jenna go, they are putting together a good winning streak at the national level. These kids and all the Mach I kids put in a lot of hard work during the summer in order to achieve this."

Also qualifying for All-American status from Supersonic were:

• Lawson Loe, 13U Boys, seventh in 3000 racewalk, 21:25.44 (PR).
• Sawyer Loe, 14U Boys, sixth in pentathlon, 2,895 points.
• Colsen Ing, 14U Boys, fourth in 800 run, 2:02.38.
• 14U Boys 4x400 relay, third, 3:25.54, consisting of Sawyer Loe, Ing, Clair and Richards.
• Mason Griggs, 14U Boys, sixth in pole vault, 10-0 (tied PR).
• Evelyn Woody, 16U Girls, eighth in 2000 steeplechase, 8:02.85 (PR).

"We are incredibly proud of every athlete who represented Supersonic Track Club and gave their best effort on the track and in the field," Supersonic coach Richard Searcy said.

"What excites me most is that many of our top performers are returning next season. We have a strong core group of athletes who now understand what it takes to compete at the state and national level. The experience they gained this year will pay dividends in the future.

I am incredibly proud of every athlete who put on a Supersonic Track Club uniform this season. Whether they stood on the podium, earned a personal record, became an All-American, or simply gained experience. Each athlete helped make this one of the best years in club history."

Other top-20 finishes by Mach I at the Junior Olympics were by Martinez, 15th in the 1,500 run, and Jenna Fink, 18th in the 1,500 run. Other qualifiers included Josephine Heady in the 9U Girls 1,500 run and Corrina Lanham in the 13U Girls 3,000 run. Also posting a top-20 finish for Supersonic at the Junior Olympics was Henry Westvang, who was 12th in the javelin among 16U Boys with a PR throw of 138-6.

Also qualifying in other events for Supersonic were:

• 8U Boys: Ryan Kelly, 800 run; Mark Kupchynskyi, long jump.
• 10U Boys: Bridger Jarrett, 800 and 1,500 runs.
• 13U Girls: Ashlyn Gunter, 100 and 200 hurdles.
• 14U Girls: Iluciana Craven, 800.
• 14U Boys: Sawyer Loe, 200 hurdles and 800 run; Richards, long jump; Blake Galbreath, 3,000 run; Easton Lawrence, discus; Aiden Wallace, 1,500 and 3,000 runs.
• 16U Girls: Anna Wyatt, 800 and 1,500 runs.
• 16U Boys: Westvang, discus.

Supersonic at TAAF Games of Texas

8U Boys

Kupchynskyi, sixth in long jump, 11-1.

8U Girls

Kora Vega, qualified in 800 run.

10U Boys

Bridger Jarrett, second in 1,600 run, 5:40.05 (PR); fifth in 800 run, 2:33 (PR); 12th in 400 run (1:07.57 (PR). His runner-up finish in the 1,600 qualified him for the 2028 State Games of America in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Tucker Tadlock, qualified in 800 and 400 runs.

10U Girls

Leah Williams, 17th in long jump, 11-9 (tied PR), also qualified in the 400 run.

12U Boys

Jackson Brooks, ninth in the 800 run, 2:32.64; also qualified in the 400 run.

Adrian Whitelock, qualified in the 1,600 run.

12U Girls

Bexley Wilson, qualified in the 80 hurdles.

14U Boys

Mason Griggs, seventh in pole vault, 9-6.

Aiden Wallace, eighth in the 3200 run, 11:42.60.

16U Girls

Ivanka Castillo, 12th in 3200 run, 13:55.77; also qualified in the 1600 run.

Charlotte Farhat, fifth in 3,200 run, 13:10.95 (26-second PR); 16th in 1600 run, 6:01.66.

Myka Maclin, 18th in 800 run, 2:39.48 (PR).

16U Boys

Justin Fidler, ninth in discus, 128-10.

Griffin Wagner, qualified in 300 hurdles.