For the final time this season, the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas will host the top track and field athletes in the state this Saturday for the 2023 Arkansas High School Indoor Track & Field Championships. With outdoor track on the horizon, this will be the last chance to improve upon their personal bests before we take things from the 200m banked tracks to the 400m oval.
Jace Holt from West Side Greers Ferry High School not only enters the weekend as the top sprinter in the 60m and 200m dash events in Division 1A/2A but is ranked one of the best in the state as well. Having posted impressive times at the Oklahoma HS Indoor #2 meet, Holt enters the weekend as the favorite in the sprinting events this weekend.
Last year's 60m dash Division 1A/2A champion Trey Powell from Mansfield High School is another name to watch this weekend as he is entered in five events. Powell is entered in the 60m and 200m dash events, as well as the high jump, long jump, and triple jump events this weekend, and is expected to compete for a championship in all five events.
Cameron Sliger from Caddo Hills returns this season in the pole vault, hoping to improve upon his second-place finish from a year ago. Sliger finished 3rd at last season's 2A outdoor state championship meet in the event and is among the top pole vaulters competing at this year's indoor state championships.
Mansfield High School and Acorn High School were the two most represented teams in the men's Division 1/2A championship last season. Acorn won the 4x400m and 4x800m relay events last season, while Mansfield finished 2nd in the 4x400m and 4th in the 4x800m. Mansfield returns to the meet this season, hoping to win the events this time around.
Nyla and Kneila Watson from LISA Academy North both return this season to defend their state championships from last year. While Nyla won the 60m dash event and Kneila finished second in 2022, Kneila won the 200m and 400m dash events, followed by Nyla in second in both. The pair of sisters are once again the favorites in the Division 1/2A sprint events this Saturday.
Elizabeth Merritt from Magazine High School (JD Leftwich) is entered in four events ahead of Saturday's championships. The 2022 3200m champion is entered in the 400m dash, 800m, 1600m, and 3200m this weekend. Anna Cantrell from LISA Academy North won the 800m and 1600m events at this event last year but has not declared for any events just yet, so it remains to be seen if she will return to defend her crown in 2023.
Jadelynn Wood from Mansfield High School won the 60m hurdles, high jump, and triple jump titles in 2022 and returns in all three events once again this season. Wood is also entered in the 400m dash and long jump events and will look to add to her impressive resume in her final high school season.