Multiple Palo Alto High School track and field team members will compete at the 50th anniversary Central Coast Sectional finals this Friday at San Jose City College.
Both the girls and boys 4×400 teams and the girls 4×100 team qualified, along with individual racers seniors Anna Dukovic and Julia Asin and juniors Cat Yu, Dami Bolarinwa and Eli Givens.
“Going into this meet we are all hoping to race our best and just have fun because for some of us it might be the last meet of the year,” senior captain Dukovic said. “This meet is CCS Finals and there is a lot of tough competition, but it means a lot to get to run in it.”
At CCS semifinals, the boys 4×400 team placed 2nd out of 30 teams, the girls 4×400 team placed 8th out of 29 and the girls 4×100 team placed 8th out of 31.
Last year, Givens had a strong performance in CCS finals, placing first in the 100-meter dash and third in the 200-meter dash. He is also coming into the meet strong this year, currently standing in second in CCS for both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes with times of 10.79 and 21.86 respectively. Bolarinwa had a strong showing at this years semifinals, finishing in third place in the 400-meter dash with a time of 50.79.
The three girls competing in individual events at this years CCS finals is a bump up from last season when no individual girls competed. Asin, who will go on to run track at Amherst College next year, currently stands at 2nd in the district for the 400-meter dash with a time of 59.24. Dukovic, who competed in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 4×100 meter relay, high jump and long jump this season, is currently seeded in 6th for SCVALS for both high jump and long jump. Yu, who also competes on the 4×100 team with Asin and Dukovic, currently comes in at 7th for the 300-meter hurdles for CCS.
“A handful of individuals normally make it to CCS finals,” Dukovic said. “This year I think a few more people made it than the past couple years for individual events.”
Dukovic will be competing in the long jump, Asin will be competing in the 400-meter dash, Yu will be competing in the 300-meter hurdles, Bolarinwa will be competing in the 400-meter dash and Givens will be competing in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and the long jump.
Both Dukovic and Asin are getting ready for this meet like it is their last in high school history. The meet will be conflicting with Friday night’s Baccalaureate.
“It’s kind of sad preparing for my last track meet because I have done this sport for four years and I am really going to miss running with everyone,” Dukovic said. “However, it’s also fun practicing and spending time with everybody during these last few days.”
Field events will begin at 4 p.m. and track events start at 6 p.m.