Records Set at YMCA/Optimist Youth Track Meet

Local Children Ages 3-14 Compete in Multiple Events, Make Friends, Have Fun and Win Medals

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

The 44th annual YMCA/Optimist Youth Track Meet was held Sunday afternoon on the Carl Lewis Track at Palisades High’s Stadium by the Sea and children ages 3-14 competed in a variety of events.

Palisades-Malibu YMCA Sports Director Oscar Rodriguez and his staff put on a spirited event in which all participants received t-shirts, participation ribbons and plenty of high-fives.

Keili Klein highlighted the 9-10 girls age division, winning the shot put in 18 feet, 5.5 inches, the 100-meter dash in 15.31 seconds and the 200 in 32.13. Noelle Tobin won the girls long jump.

In the 5-6 girls age group, Mae Durkin won the long jump with a leap of 6-11, won the 100 meters in 18.09 and the 200 in a meet-record 37.8 seconds. Karoline Schmitz won the 25 meters, Skyla Burmeister won the 50.

Carys McKenzie finished  first in the 100 (14.21) and the 200 (31.19) in the 11-12 girls division and broke the 400 meet record in the 13-15 age group in 1:10.44.

Kerry Keefe won the 11-12 girls shot put in 24-3 and was second in the 100 and 200. Matilda Macon was third in the 11-12 girls shot put and 200 meters and second in the long jump and high jump. Violet Barron (11-2) won the long jump.

In the 7-8 girls division, Kit MacLean won the 200 in 36.44 and the 400 in a record 1:27.63. Sammie Skuro won the long jump in 8-6, the 50-meter dash in 8.56, was second in the 200 and third in the 100, which Karys Campos won in 17.0.

Georgia Kelsey won the 13-15 long jump and high jump, won the 100 in 14.44, won the 200 in 32.81 and was second in the 400.

In the 3-4 girls age group, Emily Kapur won the 100 meters in 29.13 and was second in the 25 and 50-meter races. Katie Dahlberg won the 50 meters in 11.59.

Westside Waldorf 3rd-grader Alex Factor won the 9-10 boys shot put (15 feet) and was third in the long jump and high jump.

Colin Ridgley, a 6-year-old student at Palisades Elementary, won his 25, 50, 100 and 200 heats and was first overall in the 25-meter dash in 4.9 seconds, was runner-up in the 50 and tied for first overall with Matteo Koudis in the 200 in 40.15.

Sheamus Daniels won the 7-8 long jump in 9-3, Noah Gebo won the 9-10 long jump and  Edward Durkin won the 3-4 division 25 meters and Felix Gibbons won the 50 and 100. Dashiel Karish won the 5-6 boys 50-meter dash.

In the 7-8 boys Curran Pendergraft won the 50 and tied Nikolas Koudis for first in the 100. Marquez Elementary 2nd-grader Blake Sigworth won the 200 and set a record in the 400 1:18.10.

For the 11-12 boys, James Rockwell won the shot put at 27-2, and Brady Hall (11-7) won the long jump. Oliver Nelson swept the 100, 200 and 400 and Levy Shaked won the high jump.

In the 9-10 age group, Owen Huang won the 100 and 200, Finn Evans won the 400 in 1:18.97 and Cameron Hall won the high jump.