Below is a list of the top finishers at the 2023 Northern California Championship and our California State Championship qualifiers:
Isela Ochoa 1st 100 hurdles
Isela Ochoa 3rd 400 hurdles
Amelia Liao 2nd 100 hurdles
Bianca Townsend 5th Discus
Kwaku Owusu 1st 400m
Kwaku Owusu 1st 200m
Chaison Wesley 3rd 200m
Chaison Wesley 5th 100m
Anthony Coleman 4th 400m
Paul Randall 2nd high jump
Owusu, Bardell, Erdiakoff & Coleman 3rd 4x400m Relay
Kwaku Owusu was named Northern California track athlete of the year following his open wins in the 400m and 200m races this past Friday at Yuba College. With the honor, that makes back-to-back years for Merritt student-athletes named track athlete of the year in Northern California (2022-Anthony Coleman).
Isela Ochoa also won the 100 hurdles race giving her a NorCal title. Not all was smooth on the day for Isela though as she hit hurdle 6 and crashed to the ground in the 400 hurdles championship race. Briefly stunned, Isela got up and still finished 3rd thankfully saving her chance to race the event at the state meet.
Amelia Liao came in 2nd place in the 100h behind Isela and qualified for the state final. Chaison Wesley took 5th in the 100m and sneaks into state as the final qualifier in that event. He also achieved the bronze medal in the 200m giving us 2 students in the final 9 at the state championship.
Paul Randall finished the high jump in the silver medal position and will compete for a state championship on Saturday. The 4x400m relay team of Owusu, Christian Bardell, Erik Erdiakoff & Coleman finished 3rd in NorCal and move on to the state championship. Both Anthony Coleman (4th 400m) and Bianca Townsend (5th Discus) need help getting into the state meet given some of the more obscure state qualifying marks. We will know at the end of the day Tuesday about them.
One of the few regrettable moments came in the 4x100m relay when the team struggled at the first exchange missing out on the state final by .29 seconds. Nevertheless, it was a great effort by the Merritt team and they will have a number of opportunities at the state championship where it comes down to one competition for all the marbles! They will be in Modesto next Saturday at the California Community College State Championship beginning with the high jump at 3:15 pm.