Sunday's High School Meet Is Poised To Change The Dynamics Of Indoor Track In The Northwest

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

The first high school track and field meet on the West coast on a hydraulic 200-meter banked track will usher in a new era Sunday with the Spokane High School Invitational at The Podium. 

Hundreds of athletes from the Northwest and beyond will come to check the new facility out and be part of something new. 

"History will definitely be made and this event sets the stage for greater things to come,  representative of athletes and opportunity alike," said sprinter Keenan Kuntz, a Mead High junior who will represent Spokane Speed.

"This venue puts our area on the map for its world class facility and opportunity to break records. The facility also gives a way for athletes that historically have to train in cold environments to compete with those who are afforded warmer weather all year long."

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Kuntz is the top seed in the boys 60-meter dash and and the No. 2 entrant in the boys 200. 

Because he's local, he's had a chance to see The Podium first hand and been through workouts there. 

In a city that values track and field, there is hope that the new facility fosters interest and development for the next Gerry Lindgren or Becca Noble to rise up in Spokane. 

Sunday's opportunity, in particular, for athletes who have seen more opportunities eliminated than added over the past couple of years, there is excitement. 

"For me personally, it's everything because indoor is such a great indicator of how well you are prepared for outdoor." Kuntz said. "In the past high school indoor meets often require athletes from our area to travel great distances to find competition and/or adequate venues. The chance to set a facility record would be pretty cool for any of us that get to compete on Sunday."

For athletes in Washington, Oregon and even California, the chance to compete in the winter a bit closer to home is now a viable option. 

Wooden tracks that fit into the arenas of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s allowed for the sport to exist, but weren't 200 meters. The indoor track that was built to accomodate Portland's 2016 World Indoor Championships bid was right in size and fucntion, but wasn't permanent. 

Sunday's meet features some elite level competitors. 

Sophomore Mia Brahe-Pedersen of Lake Oswego, Ore., is already firmly established as the fastest sprinter from Oregon in more than 50 years. She ran 11.57 seconds for fourth in the 100-meter dash at the NSAF Outdoor Nationals, presented by Nike, last summer and was also eighth in the 200 (23.78) at Hayward Field. 

Sophia Beckmon of Oregon City, a club teammate for the Inner Circle Track Club, won the national title in the long jump with a leap of 19-10.25 (6.05m). 

A third athlete from Oregon, Michael Maiorano (South Medford), is entered in the 3,000 meters after placing 12th last month at the Eastbay Cross Country Championships. 

Jacob Andrews of Ready-Set-Go (Sehome WA) is the top entrant in the boys 200 and 400. 

JaiCieonna Gero-Holt, a rising star in the multi from Washington (Emerald Ridge), is entered in the 60-meter hurdles, shot put and high jump.