The 2026 Colorado state track and field meet launches off the starting line this Thursday.
What’ll follow is the three most exciting days of Colorado track and field.
State champions will be crowned. Records will (likely) be broken.
And when the dust has settled on the 2026 Colorado track and field season, we’ll collectively exhale.
Here are the top storylines in every classification:
Class 5A
Girls Sprints
Can Addyson Smith get that coveted state title?
A year ago, the Fossil Ridge senior finished second in the 100- and the 200-meter dashes. And it definitely seems to have stung, because this season she’s been on fire.
Smith owns the fastest times in Colorado in the 100 and the 200, with a 11.63 in the 100 and 23.82 in the 200.
Her 100 is over a tenth-a-second ahead of the field, while her 200 is half-a-second-ahead of her nearest challengers. She hasn’t lost a race in the 100 or the 200 since March 28.
Additionally, she’s ranked No. 2 in the long jump (behind Eaglecrest’s Zenobia Witt), and No. 5 in the 400.
Obviously, she’ll be limited to competing in four events, and she’ll likely have some relay duties, but the one thing that has eluded her thus far has been an individual state title.
She’ll head to Jeffco as a favorite to win the 100 and the 200.
Girls Mid-Distance
Colorado, meet Calia Vaughn.
Three weeks ago, Vaughn wasn’t in the conversation of a state title — she was barely inside the top-18 state qualifying positions in the 800 and the 1,600.
As of Friday night, she’s definitely in the mix.
The Boulder sophomore has run herself onto a new level right in time for state.
At Friday night’s St. Vrain Invitational, she won the 800 in a monstrous, six-second personal best for a 5A No. 1 of 2 minutes, 10.60 seconds. Two weeks ago she ran a huge PR of 4:55 to win the 1,600 at Liberty Bell for a 5A No. 3.
While Vaughn has clearly caught the spotlight, she’ll likely have challengers.
Riverdale Ridge’s Payton Meineke holds the fastest time in 5A, with a 4:53.09, which is right in front of Heritage’s Emry Schwalm, who has run 4:54.89, and there is defending state champ, Cherry Creek’s Emily Cohen, who has also run 4:55.
Meanwhile, in the 800, Eaglecrest’s Jenna Win has clocked a 2:11.90, which is just over a second behind Vaugh’s 2:10.6, while Fossil Ridge’s Lily Wale and Golden’s Elsa Vessely have both run 2:12.
The lingering question is: How much faster does Vaughn run? She’s won two big races over stellar fields. She’s had a meteoric rise in recent weeks — the timing is perfect.
She started the season as a fast-heat, middle-of-the-pack runner. Now she heads to state as a favorite to claim a state title.
Boys Mid-Distance
The distance landscape was already wild before Friday night, and it just got crazier.
Like the boys 4A field, 5A is insanely competitive.
There’s defending state champion, ThunderRidge’s Ben Lee, who has run 1:52.91 in the 800 and 4:12.21 in the 1,600.
New to the conversation this year is Fort Collins’ Cadel Ruthven, who ran 4:10.39 at Stutler – beating Mountain Vista’s Ben Adams, who just ran 4:08 at St. Vrain Friday night.
On paper, Adams is currently the fastest 1,600 runner in 5A.
Additionally, there’s Heritage’s Liam Folk, who ran 4:10 – also in that insanely fast St. Vrain race.
There were a slew of 4:12s in that same race, from Fort Collins’ sophomore Will Johns, Broomfield’s Carson Smith, and Erie’s Brett Michalski.
Seven have run between 4:08 and 4:12 (with six running between 4:10 and 4:12).
That’s how close this race is.
If we’re looking at head-to-head races, it doesn’t really answer any questions — they’ve all beaten each other at some point.
In other words, there is no one dominant favorite.
Last year, Lee arrived right in time, kicking to win both the 800 and 1,600, so it’s clear he knows how to win. Though he’ll likely have a ton of competition this year.
Class 1A
Girls Sprints
Can Roxy Unruh defend her state titles?
The Cheyenne Wells junior is the two-time defending state champion in the 100, 200, and the 400.
She’s been undefeated at the state meet her entire high school career.
This year she’s run a 1A No. 1 (tied) of 12.40 in the 100, a 1A No. 2 of 25.51 in the 200, and 1A No. 2 of 59.37.
While she’s been flawless at Jeffco in May every time she’s toed the line, but this year she’ll have a solid challenger.
Last year Cotopaxi’s Hayden Eggleston finished second to Unruh in all three sprint events, but this year she’s run herself onto a new level.
Eggleston owns the fastest times in 1A in the 100 (tied with Unruh), the 200, and the 400, clocking 25.29 in the 200, and 57.97 in the 400.
Unruh has raced sparingly this season, while Eggleston has consistently improved every time she’s touched the track.
Additionally, spectators will want to keep an eye on the clock – both ladies have run under the 1A state meet record of 25.58 in the 200 (held by Unruh) this season.
We’ve got three great battles between Unruh and Eggleston on tap.
Boys Pole Vault
Will we see a 1A state record fall in the pole vault?
Anderson Weathers has already cleared 14-2 this season, eclipsing Ryan McCaffrey 14-1 state record from 2024.
Weathers has been insanely consistent this spring, literally raising the bar every time he’s competed.
He opened the season at 12-6 and has inched his way up to 14-2.
Weathers has competed in the event 11 times, and improved every time out.
Class 3A
Girls Distance
Can Delaney Reuter sweep?
The Eaton senior stands tall as the No.1 runner in 3A in the 1,600 and the 3,200, and she’s No. 2 in the 800.
Her 3,200 (10:20) leads 3A by over 20-seconds, and it’s likely an event she’ll want to officially win this year.
Note: Last year, she was disqualified for a lane violation after running all eight laps and winning the race.
She’s run 4:53 in the 1,600, which is three-seconds ahead of The Classical Academy’s Vivian Jack, while likely also challenge in the 3,200.
The 800, however, is likely where Retuer will have her biggest challenge – Aspen’s Avila Jennings owns the fastest time run in 3A this year, clocking 2:12.54. She’s only run the event three times, but she’s coming off a two-second personal best at St. Vrain.
Boys Pole Vault
How high does Ethan Rathke fly?
The Peak to Peak senior has already cleared 16-8, which is eight-inches above the 3A state meet record of 16-0.
If you recognize the name, you should. Rathke is the brother of 3A state record holder Kourtney Rathke.
So, an additional storyline here is: can the Rathke’s own both 3A state meet pole vault records?
Ethan has cleared 16-feet twice this season already, and he leads 3A by well over two-feet in the event.
He finished ninth at state as a freshman, third as a sophomore, and second as a junior.
What better way to cap off a high school career than claiming a state title in a state meet record to give the family name a sweep in the event?
Class 2A
Girls Distance
Can Austin Cook Sweep?
The Telluride senior has been on a tear all season long, clocking 2:13.63 in the 800 and 5:00.66 in the 1,600.
Both times lead 2A by quite a large margin. While she looks to be a clear favorite to claim both events, spectators will want to keep an eye on the clock – she’s awfully close to the 2A state meet records in both events.
The 2A state meet record stands at 2:11.43, while the 1,600 is 4:58.55 — both records were run by Jennifer Celis in 2014.
Girls Hurdles
On the topic of sweeps and state meet records, cue Sara Christensen.
The Thomas MacLaren senior has been nearly flawless over the hurdles this season — she only has one loss to her name.
Christensen has been in a race of her own, owning 2A state leading times of 14.48 in the 100H, and 44.21 in the 300H.
Currently, the 2A state meet records stand at 14.24, and 44.06.
What makes Christensen likely to rewrite those records is the fact that she’s run a season-best every time she’s toed the line.
Last year she won the 100H, and finished second in the 300H. This year she’ll likely walk away with a sweep in the hurdles.
Boys Sprints
Can Zach Statz claim three individual state titles?
The Haxtun senior owns the fastest times in the 100 and the 200, and is No. 3 in the 400.
He’s run a (wind-legal) 11.07 in the 100, a 22.50 in the 200, and a 52.04 in the 400.
His 100 and 200 lead 2A, though it appears that the biggest challenge with the sweep will come in the 400, where he’ll have to battle with Elbert’s Elie Cornell, and Idalia’s Brady Terrell, who’ve run 51.35, and 51.45.
Statz has run the 100 and 200 a ton of times this season, with only one loss, while he’s only raced the 400 twice – and won both times.
Class 4A
Girls Sprints
We’ve got a few battles brewing…
The 100 looks tight. Insanely tight.
Holy Family’s Claire Tannehill tops the rankings with her 11.76 clocking from St. Vrain, which is a hundredth-of-a-second ahead of Windsor’s Maya Brasch, who ran 11.77 at Teddy’s Last Chance — both Tannehill and Brasch ran personal bests in the last few days, meaning they’re peaking right in time for state.
Additionally, Mead’s Rylee Klatt has run 11.79, so three have run within three hundredth-of-a-second of each other this season.
A year ago Kiana Cumings swept the 200 and the 400, and she looks to be in prime position to do it again. The Windsor senior is coming off two season-bests, clocking 23.81 in the 200 and 54.81 in the 400 at St. Vrain Friday afternoon. Both times are 4A No.1s.
Boys 300H
How much faster down Owen Hays run?
The Roosevelt junior already took down a 25 year-old state record I nthe 300H last month.
Hays torched a 36.14, which took down the third-oldest state record. He’ll likely challenge the 4A state meet record of 36.81 — he’s already run faster than that.
Hays hasn’t raced the 300H since breaking the record at Pomona, though he’s run a slew of other events, clearly work on this.
Additionally, he’s run under 37-seconds in the the 300H three times already.
An additional question has to do with the weather: will it better for the prelims or the finals?
Hays owns the fastest time in the event by a full-second. Meaning, he could take a shot at the record in the prelims and focus on winning in the finals.
Girls Distance
The Addy Ritzenhein Farewell Tour
Ritzenhein is five-time track state champion.
She is the three-time defending state champion in the 3,200, and a two-time defending state champion in the 1,600.
Additionally, she’s finished third and fifth in the 800.
She’s coming in hot off a state-leading 4:46.57 victory at St. Vrain, and owns the fastest 3,200 in the state at 10:19.
While she’s likely to pick up two more state titles in her events – the 1,600 and the 3,200, her biggest challenges will come in the mid-distance events.
Air Academy’s Jordan Banta had a breakthrough race at St. Vrian, where she finished second to Ritzenhein, clocking a personal best of 4:48.
The 800 is where we could see a battle.
In recent years Ritzenhein has run the event to tally up team points for Niwot, who’ll be eyeing another state title.
Mountian View’s Madeline Clark has been on fire in the event all season long.
She owns a state-leading 2:08.9, and she’s run between 2:10 and 2:08 three times this season. Add that she’s been undefeated in the event.
Clear leads 4A by three full seconds, with Banta owning the No. 2 time with a 2:12.00, and Central (GJ)’s Sage Siegrist also owning a 2:12. Ritzenhein has run 2:12.48 – at Stutler. So, while Clark clearly leads the field on the clock, the rest of the podium looks to be up for grabs.
Boys Distance
Where to start?
The boy’s 4A distance landscape is the deepest in Colorado history, particularly in the 1,600.
Like 5A, it was wild even before Friday night’s action at St. Vrain.
12 have run between 4:06 and 4:12, led by Summit’s Jay McDonald, who torched a state-leading 4:06, right in time for state.
McDonald’s time leads the state by over two seconds.
Behind him, there’s the undefeated Coronado junior, Oliver Horton, who has run 4:09.00, and is the fastest 3,200 by a Coloradan – ever.
Niwot senior Rocco Culpepper is the defending state champion in the 800 and the 1,600, though there is plenty of competition.
Culpepper has run 4:09 and 1:52 in the 800 in Colorado.
Also in the 4:09 mix in the 1,600 is Cheyenne Mountain’s Aiden Le Roux, Niwot’s Quinn Sullivan (who is the second-fastest 800 runner in Colorado history with a 1:49 clocking from last week), Niwot’s Ryder Keeton, Coronado’s Xavier Campos, and then there’s Niwot freshman Jude Ritzenhein, who has run 4:10, Air Academy’s Noah Thackwell, who’s run 4:11, and the list goes on and on.
Likewise, three (Horton, Robbie, and Sullivan) have broken nine minutes in the 3,200. And I’d imagine McDonald will likely join that list, as he’s clearly peaking right now (McDonald has run 9:00).
In the 800, Sullivan looks to be the favorite, as he recently became the second Coloradan to break 1:50 in the event. Though he’ll likely have McDonald, defending state champ Culpepper, Campos, and company to deal with.
Every race from the 800 on up to the 3,200 is bound to be jam-packed with fireworks.
Spectators will definitely want to keep an eye on the clock, because we could see multiple 4A state meet records fall.
The 800 state meet record is 1:50.74, run by William Mayhew from 2015. The 1,600 state meet record is 4:06.97, run by Connor McCormick in 2022. And the 3,200 state meet record is 9:01.22, run by Will Brunner in 2024.
The 2026 Colorado State Track & Field Championships begin Thursday, May 14.
