The USATF U20 Outdoor Championships and Nike Outdoor Nationals took place at legendary Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
The USATF U20 Championships took place June 18-19, while the Nike Outdoor Nationals ran from June 18-22.
A mixed-school relay made up of four Kansas standouts finished second in the distance medley relay with a time of 11:38.94.
The relay splits were Maria Portela (Blue Valley), 400, 55.8; Ashley Lehman (Hesston), 800, 2:09.98; Kelsie Kudzia (Leavenworth), 1200, 3:34.06; and Cambell Harger (Blue Valley Southwest), 1600, 5:04.1.
Their performance would have shattered the all-time Kansas high school best of 12:20.99, set by Olathe West in 2022, by an astonishing 42 seconds,” said Sports in Kansas.
“However, because the relay was composed of athletes from different high schools, the mark cannot officially stand as the Kansas all-time state record, but it remains one of the greatest relay performances ever by a group of Kansas athletes.”
Lehman, who will compete in track at the University of Nebraska next season, placed eighth overall in the non-championship 800 meters with a time of 2:08.96.
“The performance ranks as the No. 4 all-time mark in Kansas history, and makes the accomplishment even more impressive considering she essentially ran alone, winning her section by more than three seconds,” said Sports in Kansas.
Lehman’s name now appears among the all-time Kansas greats in an incredible variety of events:
100: 13th all-time 11.65 (wind-aided)
200: 10th all-time 24.10
400: 5th all-time 54.02
800: 4th all-time 2:08.96
300 hurdles: 6th all-time 43.08
Pole vault: 13th all-time 12-8¼
During her historic high school career, Lehman captured 12 individual Kansas state championships and established four Kansas State Meet records, cementing her place among the most accomplished athletes the state has ever produced.
Lehman also teamed up with a collection of Kansas stars to place second in the girls distance medley relay with a time of 11:38.94.
Lehman joined fellow Kansan Dru Zeka (Wellington) along with Mia Couch (Liberty North, Mo.) and Isla Alfultis (Helias Catholic, Mo.) on a mixed-school club relay team that finished fourth in the 4×400 telay. They posted a time of 3:44.98.
That performance would rank as the fastest 4×400 relay ever run by a Kansas high school team if all four athletes had represented the same Kansas school.
Zeka continues to add to an already remarkable career.
The future senior, who enters the 2026-27 school year with nine individual KSHSAA State Track and Field titles, earned All-American honors at Nike Outdoor Nationals with a third-place finish in the Championship high jump, clearing 5-8.75.
Zeka is coming off another dominant state meet where she captured four individual state championships, further cementing her place among the top track and field athletes in Kansas.
She has a career best of 5-10 that she jumped earlier this season as a junior.
Frontenac’s Reese Franklin place 13th in the championship high jump competition.
Two Kansas state champions competed in the championship javelin division at the Nike Outdoor U20 Nationals.
Hadyn Rice (Norton) placed sixth with a throw of 191-5. He is the Kansas Class 3A boys javelin state champion and has a personal best throw of 200-10.
That mark is 41st in the United States this season and fourth among U.S. sophomores.
Brayden Spexarth (Andale) placed ninth with a throw of 186-3. He is the Kansas Class 4A state champion.
His personal best throw of 195-9is ranked 66th in the U.S. this season and is sixth among U.S. sophomores.
Spexarth also placed 7th in discus and 16th in shot put at state.
