Numerous local athletes had a successful three days at the 2017 State Track and Field Meet at Drake Stadium.

Pella’s girls were state runners-up in Class 3A for the second consecutive year, and had their sprint medley relay team of Emma Thoreson, Paighton Malek, Emily Vos and Annika Pingel earn an individual championship. Vos tells KNIA/KRLS News winning the championship is what she’s worked so hard to obtain, and she was thrilled to take home the gold.

“It’s a dream come true pretty much,” she says, “winning a state championship in the sprint med was one of my lifetime goals, and it was better than I ever imagined.”

The Pella Christian girls placed 8th overall, with top three finishes from Elizabeth Van Manen in the discus and Evie Armstrong in the 100 meters during the weekend. Armstrong was excited with both her own and the team’s overall performance

“I was coming in as number seven (qualifying time), and my start felt awesome and amazing, and my first couple of steps felt great,” she says. “I came in third, and it was so awesome. I didn’t know what to say to anyone other than ‘oh my word!’. I was so happy.”

Knoxville’s Katie Keitges recorded school records in the 800 and 1500 meter events as well.