Sims wins gold, Winters & Chung get bronze, HHSAA track championships

Sims

Ka Makani Zoe Sims came up with a gold medal of her own winning the 1500 meter run in convincing fashion and returned to the track later to take second in the 400 dash.

“The 1500 is my favorite race and I just love to run,” Sims said shortly after winning the gold medal.  “The 400 is just for fun and I worked hard all season so this was the payoff for all the hard work.”

The adrenaline rush accounted for some remarkable performances by BIIF track and field athletes competing on Maui as several personal best performances were achieved during the finals held on Saturday.

Winters

Waiakea’s Travis Winters went an incredible four inches higher in the high jump to come away with a third place medal and credits adrenaline for his accomplishment.

“I was really pumped during the finals,” Winters said after clearing 6-02.  “I only started practicing the high jump about a month ago and 5-10 was the highest I’ve ever cleared in competition.”

Winters easily cleared 6 feet on his first attempt and watched as many of the state’s best began to drop out of the competition.

“I was a little nervous coming into the championships, but as I saw the other guys start to drop out my confidence began to rise and I started to get really pumped,” he said.

Winters managed to clear 6-02 on his third and final attempt before dropping out on three tries at 6-04.

“I’m really happy with my performance and I think I have a chance to medal in the long jump as well,” he said.

While Winters was winning a state medal in the high jump on Friday, across the field the finals in the girls pole vault was taking place with Hilo’s Shina Chung trying to improve on her fifth place finish from last year.

Chung

Chung, the three time BIIF girl’s pole vault champion, was using a larger pole to see if she could compete with the state’s best.

“My coach, Sherman Viernes, told me he wanted me on a 140 pound pole and I only got to practice on it for two and a half days,” Chung said.  “The pole was way bigger than anything I’ve ever used before, but I’m glad I took my coaches advice.”

Chung sat out for the initial jumps and came into the competition at 9 feet and eventually cleared 10-06 to finish in a tie for third place.

“I was really nervous today because of the new pole and I waited as the bar was started at 7-06 and increased by six inches each time,” she said.

Related links: 

https://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/hpas-shane-brostek-win-2-gold-medals-at-hhsaa-track-field-championships/

https://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/konas-galdeira-and-ruedy-score-5th-place-team-finish-at-hhsaa-track/

https://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/kamehamehas-akau-leads-long-list-of-hhsaa-medal-winners-from-biif/

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Kamehameha’s Akau leads long list of HHSAA medal winners from BIIF

Kaenen Aukai Akau wins state long jump

Adding to the gold medal count for Big Island athletes was Kamehameha’s Kaenen Aukai Akau in the long jump as the Warrior leaped 22-01.50.

Kealakehe’s Luca Walter contributed to the solid gold count for BIIF athletes by winning the 400 dash.

Other BIIF Medalist (top 6 in each event medal and score team points):

Mauna Palamama-Danielson, Waiakea, 6^th discus

Jackson Halford, Waiakea, 3^rd 1500 run

Haley Rasse, Waiakea, 6^th 800 run

Michael Morikawa, Waiakea, 6^th long jump

Katon Pestano, Hilo, 6^th pole vault

Carmen Garson-Shumway, Hilo, 5^th 1500

Lana Queen, HPA, 5^th 100 hurdles, 4^th 300 hurdles

Kristiana Van Pernis, HPA, 6^th 1500 run, 4^th 800 run

Everett Maka McKee, Kamehameha, 5^th long jump

Jesse Huihui, Keaau, 5^th 100 dash, 5^th 200 dash

Chris Mosch, Honokaa, 2^nd 3000 run

Kealakehe girls 4×400 relay, 6^th

^{Related Links:} 

https://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/hpas-shane-brostek-win-2-gold-medals-at-hhsaa-track-field-championships/

https://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/konas-galdeira-and-ruedy-score-5th-place-team-finish-at-hhsaa-track/

Kona’s Galdeira and Ruedy score 5th place team finish at HHSAA track

Galdeira and Ruedy

Konawaena Duo, Lia Galdeira and Ua Ruedy accounted for all the points scored for the Wildcats which placed them as the top Big Island Interscolastic Federation team at the HHSAA track & field championships on Maui.

HHSAA State Track and Field Championships – 5/6/2011 to 5/7/2011

                    War Memorial Stadium – Wailuku Maui

                           Team Rankings – Through Event 32

1      Punahou School Girls                 PSCG                     6633

   2      Seabury Hall                             SEA                      64

    3      Kahuku High School               KAHU                     51

    4      Iolani School Girls                      IOLG                     34

    5      Konawaena                                KONA                     30

    6      Hawaii Preparatory Academy               HPA                      29

Lia on left & Ua on right

Konawaena’s Ua Ruedy won gold in the 300 hurdles, becoming the “new queen of the hurdles.”

Ruedy, just a sophomore, saved herself just for the 300 and came out of the blocks quickly, running into a strong headwind.

“I knew I had to come out fast and finish really strong,” Ruedy said.  “I really wanted to win and I wanted to become the new Queen of the Hurdles.”

 While Ruedy was laying claim to her Queen status teammate and multitalented superstar athlete, Lia Galdeira, finished second in the long jump, third in the 100 dash, fourth in the 200 and fifth in the triple jump.

The multi talented Wildcat, better known for her leaping ability on the basketball court, had qualified for five events in the finals, more than twice the amount of any other BIIF athlete on her way to claiming four individual medals.

Only two weeks ago Galdeira surprised herself by surpassing 17 feet in the long jump and one week later went beyond the 18 foot mark to rank her as the number one long jumper in the state.

Shane Brostek wins 2 gold medals at HHSAA track & field championships

Shane Brostek became a double gold medalist in the Hawaii High School Athletic Association track and field championships held at War Memorial Stadium in Wailuku Maui.

Brostek the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion in both the shot put and discus came away with gold medals with a super sized performance when he threw a personal best 55-11 in the shot and went 173-04 in the discus.

“I think I was just lucky today,” Brostek said after winning his second gold medal.  “I just tried to work hard this season and I didn’t want that hard work to go to waste.”

The 6 foot 3 inch, 300 pound junior from HPA who is best known for his offensive line football talents believed that he still has a lot to learn.

“I think I can do better if I learn the proper technique,” he said.  “Today brought out my best as I was competing with the best in the state and that helped me to do my best.”