In the distance, spectators roared to life.

The cheers echoed across the infield and fell upon my ears.

It was a theme on the third day of the 2026 Colorado state track and field championships.

There was an inconsistent crescendo that erupted every few minutes.

Whether it was the east stands by the triple jump, the south side by the pole vault, or the west stands on the final straight, which were packed to the brim, something was going on in every direction.

Jeffco Stadium was a living, breathing thing throughout the final day of the CHSAA state track and field meet.

It was a kaleidoscope of colors and sounds.

Champions were being crowned every few minutes.

While the sun has set on the 2026 Colorado season, the final day lived up to the hype as one epic finale.

There’s plenty to talk about.

Here are the highlights.
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In the first event of the day, Northfield’s Amber Calender torched a state-leading, US No. 5 of 13.37 seconds to win the girls Class 5A 100-hurdles. Eagelcrest’s Zenobia Witt took second in a Colorado No. 2 of 13.64.

The girls 4A 100 came down to a hundredth-of-a-second, with Sierra’s Suraiya Payne taking the state title, clocking 11.63, which was barely a stride in front of Holy Family’s Claire Tannehill, who ran 11.64.

Meanwhile, Canon City’s Gavin Reddick swept the boys 4A sprints, winning the 100 in 10.61, and the 200 in 21.55.

On the topic of sweeps, Windsor’s Kiana Cumings defended both 200 and 400 state titles, clocking a personal best of 23.58 in the 200, and 54.94 in the 400.

A rarity occurred for the second time in two days, as Roxy Unruh made it a four-peat in the 100 and the 200.

The Cheyenne Wells senior successfully claimed her fourth-consecutive state title in the 100 in the morning, then went on to replicate the feat in the 200 several hours later, this time in a 2A state meet record, clocking 24.37.

“I’ve been fighting injury this season, so my goal was just to finish strong,” Unruh shared. “The 200 has been my worst enemy, so I’m so glad I finished the way I did.”

Unruh, battled Cotopaxi’s Hayden Eggleston in the 400, who finally claimed a state title after finishing second to Unruh last year.

Eggleston ran a personal best of 56.69 for the 1A state title.

On the topic of sweeps, cue Owen Hays.

The Roosevelt junior won the 110H in the morning, clocking 13.64, then came back to win his signature event, the 300H, in 36.54, which was just ahead of Niwot’s Jaydan Martinez, who finished second in 36.70.

In the boys 5A 400 Joshua Gallien blitzed the field in the fastest time run in Colorado this season, a 47.03 clocking.

In the girls 5A sprints, Fossil Ridge senior Addyson Smith turned last year’s two runner-up finishes into fuel for this year.

She dominated the field in the 5A 100, clocking a Colorado No. 1 of 11.60, then came back to make it a sweep by winning the 200 in 23.81.

In the 4A 1,600 Niwot senior Addyson Ritzenhein claimed her 10th state title in dominating fashion, clocking a 4A state meet record of 4:44.57.

Air Academy’s Jordan Banta took second in 4:50.

Meanwhile, the boys 4A 1,600 lived up to the hype.

Niwot senior and defending state champion, Rocco Culpepper, used his trademark kick to claim the state title over the deepest field in history.

Culpepper’s blistering 55-second final lap was just a touch too much for Summit’s Jay McDonald, who charged late. But Culepper prevailed, crossing the line in 4:08.13 for his third consecutive 4A 1,600 state title.

McDonald was a close second in 4:08.38, while Coronado’s Oliver Horton took third in 4:10.19, and Niwot’s Quinn Sullivan was fourth in 4:10.96.

The title was Culpepper’s third-consecutive in the event, and his fifth overall.

Likewise, Eaton junior Delaney Reuter made it a sweep of the 3A distance events, winning the 1,600 Saturday afternoon in 4:54. The win marked her second state title of the weekend, and her second consecutive in the event.
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Now that the noise has dimmed to a whisper and Jeffco Stadium can exhale from three days of constant action, one of the most exciting track and field seasons has come to a close.

There’ll be plenty to be excited about next year.

But for now, let’s let the state champions enjoy their crowns.