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Ava McKee of Crescent Valley completes rare double at 5A girls track championships — state titles in the 400 and 800

“I was watching the rankings all season and thought, ‘I have a shot. I can do both.’ But it’s a little tiring, I admit.”

By René Ferrán | Photo by Taylor Balkom 

Crescent Valley senior Ava McKee wasn’t sure if she’d attempt the 400-800 double again at the Class 5A track and field championships this spring.

She always knew she’d run the 800 meters at Hayward Field in Eugene because “I had a bone to pick with it. I’ve always had this struggle when I’m doing it. I’d either go out too hard, or I don’t feel like I ran it at all.”

After breaking 2 minutes, 20 seconds, in the 800 for the first time at the Sherwood Need for Speed Classic on April 9, four days later she went under 1 minute in the 400 at a Mid-Willamette Conference meet at Dallas and resolved, “I was never going over 60 again.”

At that point, she decided, “I should probably go for both. I was watching the rankings all season and thought, ‘I have a shot. I can do both.’ But it’s a little tiring, I admit.”

Ava McKee Crescent Valley Taylor Balkom

Tiring, but in the end, well worth it. 

McKee became the first girl from the state's two highest classifications to win both events at an OSAA state meet since Leann Warren of Crescent Valley in 1979, and the Oregon State commit also anchored the 4x400 to victory in leading the Raiders to their first state championship. 

“I had something left, and in my last high school race I wanted to go out with a bang,” McKee told the Gazette-Times

Best photos from Day 2 of 6A, 5A, 4A Oregon high school track and field state championships