ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. | Furthering an already outstanding season for Colorado girls track & field, many of the state’s best teamed up to win the team championship at the Great Southwest Classic meet June 6-8 at the University of New Mexico.
Among a strong group of Colorado athletes competing in the 38th annual event — which featured teams and unattached individuals from 15 states — were University of Kansas signee Zainab Sanni, who just graduated from Smoky Hill High School, along with Cherokee Trail junior-to-be Shayna Yon, who were each coming off strong performances at the Class 5A state track meet May 16-18.
The Colorado girls team racked up a total of 140 points to finish first among 28 scoring teams, placing in front of Utah (120) and Arizona (99).
Sanni and Yon finished 2nd and 3rd, respectively, in the 100 meter dash at the 5A state meet behind another Aurora star — Regis Jesuit’s Ana Holland — and they competed in the event again at the Great Southwest Classic.
Yon finished first among 28 runners competing in the girls open 100 meter dash, as she posted a time of 11.50 seconds to finish in front of her top two competitors, who ran in her same heat. Yon also placed fourth in the girls long jump — which was won by another Colorado standout, Chyna Ries of George Washington — with a top jump of 18 feet, 9 1/4 inches, which was just a inch shy of her best during the past season.
Sanni finished sixth in the 100 meter dash at last season’s meet and jumped up into the elite 100 meter dash this year.
Against a field that also included Colorado stars Marybeth Sant of Valor Christian, Pine Creek’s Alleandra Watt and Ries, Sanni clocked a time of 11.77 seconds to place seventh.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555
