Throughout the next few weeks, Bay State Running will be putting the spotlight on some of the top performances of the outdoor track and field season. While we’ve had our share of showstoppers over the past few months, these are the moments that we feel stood out the most and left the biggest impression.
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Although top athletes often make it seem that way, it’s never easy to defend a state title. The competition now puts a bull’s-eye on your back, and, more importantly, the added pressure of defending that crown often makes winning back-to-back titles even more difficult. Events like the sprints, where races are often won by tenths of a second, only compound the challenge.
Sharon’s Nina Kyei-Aboagye had that daunting tasks twice after capturing the 100- and 200-meter dashes at last year’s Meet of Champions.
How did she respond? Just like true champion.
The Warriors’ speedy senior once again earned the No. 1 spot on the podium in both her specialties. In the 100m, a mere 0.01 seconds separated the top two finishers as she out-leaned Methuen’s Lauren Quarm to win in 11.83. Two days earlier, she claimed the 200m with a season best of 23.56.
A week later, Kyei-Aboagye added another milestone to her career, capturing her first New England title in the 100m with a personal-best 11.74.
