Who was the top girls track and field athlete in the Class of 2024?
Below are six stellar candidates looking for your votes. These candidates all put up amazing performances at the State Meet and rank among the best in CA regardless of class.
MileSplitCA Athletes of the Year candidates are selected based off criteria to include performances at the State Meet, section championships, and rankings within the class in CA and nationally.
Ashlyn capped her stellar CIF season with one of the fastest 1600-meter performances in State Meet history. She ran 4:39.45 to place second to Sadie Engelhardt's record-setting performance. Ashlyn's time ranked U.S. No. 2 at the time and was only pushed down to U.S. No. 6 after post-season national showcases, and U.S. No. 1 in the class. She took advantage of one of those to run her 800m PR of 2:09.03 (CA No. 5). She won the 1600m and the 3200m (10:26.12 PR) at the Dublin Distance Fiesta and won the Central Coast Section 1600m title for the second year in a row.
Niya is a sprinter/hurdler who won the Southern Section Masters and CIF-State titles in the 100-meter dash. Her winning time at the State final of 11.45 (1.6) ranks CA No. 1 overall and tied for U.S. No. 9 in a very deep sprint class (wind-legal). She won SS Masters in 11.46 (3.5) and also qualified to compete at State Prelims in the 100m hurdles for the second year in a row. She anchored the Oaks Christian 4x100m relay team to a fifth-place medal at the State Meet a day after anchoring the team to a season-best at CA No. 7 time of 46.72.
Iliana is one of the nation's top returning pole vaulters for the 2024 season and the 2023 CIF-State Champion. Her PR 14-foot clearance at her league final ranks U.S. No. 3 in the class and No. 8 regardless of class. She is the eighth girl in state history to clear at least 14 feet in the pole vault. She won 12 of 13 meets during the CIF season, including a 13-9 clearance to win at Mt. SAC, 13-7 at Mt. Carmel, and 13-5 to win at State.
Payton is among the nation's best distance runners in the 2024 class. She ranks CA No. 1 in the class for 1600m-3200m combined times, No. 1 for 800m-3200m combined times, and No. 2 for 1600m-800m times. After winning Southern Section Division 4 titles at 1600m and 3200m, she focused on the eight-lap challenge for the post-season, getting the payoff with a runner-up finish at State in 10:02.63. Her mile best of 4:44.13 from APU ranks U.S. No. 8 in the class. Her en route 1600m split from that performance of 4:42.57 ranks U.S. No. 7 in the class and CA No. 5 overall. Her 3200m best of 9:57.77 from Arcadia ranks U.S. No. 3 in the class and CA No. 3 regardless of class.
Meagan put on one of the best collective performances in the history of the CIF-State Championships, winning medals in four individual events. She placed second in the long jump (20-3.25/0.7; 18-10.50 in prelims), second in the triple jump (40-6.25/2.2; 39-10 in prelims), fourth in the high jump (5-8; 5-6 in prelims), fifth in the 200m (24.02/1.3, after running 23.99 in prelims). Nationally she ranks U.S. No. 4 in the long jump (20-3.25/0.7) wind-legal and No. 5 all-conditions; No. 8 for wind-legal triple jump (40-3/1.9) and No. 9 for all-conditions triple jump (40-8.75/nwi), tied for No. 11 in the high jump (5-8), and No. 16 in the class for 200m (23.55/3.9).
Payton is CA's top long sprinter in the 2024 class. She won two medals at the CIF-State Championships, placing third in the 200m in 23.78 (1.3) and third in the 400m in 53.86. Her 400m time ranks CA No. 3 and her 200m best ranks CA No. 4 wind-legal, and CA No. 5 for all conditions. She has CA's top returning times in both the 400m and 200m (wind-legal).
WHO YA GOT?
VOTE: Junior Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year
Who was the top girls track and field athlete in the Class of 2024?
Below are six stellar candidates looking for your votes. These candidates all put up amazing performances at the State Meet and rank among the best in CA regardless of class.
