Vote now: Who was the best sprinter in Texas high school girls track in 2023?
It's becoming hard to refute Texas' dominance in the national high school track landscape.
The state holds three of the country's best 10 times in the 100-meter dash and two of the best high school times in the country in the 400 — headlined by national 400 record-holder Lauren Lewis of Prosper (Texas).
The UIL high school track and field season has come to a close and SBLive is taking a look at the top athletes across the 2023 spring by event group.
The UIL state track meet took place May 8-11 at Mike A. Myers Stadium at University of Texas in Austin, culminating a season that included new national records and scores of dominant breakout performances.
UIL STATE TRACK:
In the coming days, we're highlighting the top boys and girls sprinters, hurdlers, distance runners, throwers and jumpers — then letting you decide.
First, we begin with the sprinters. Here are 10 sprinters — a blend of 100-meter, 200-meter and 400-meter participants — who stood above the rest this Texas high school girls track and field season. Cast your vote for the best sprinter in the state. Voting is open until May 24 at 11:59 Central time:
TOP 10 SPRINTERS IN TEXAS
Aniyah Bigam, Carrollton Smith (5A), Sr.
Best event: 100
PR: 11.35 (2023 Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays)
After winning 5A championships in the 100 and 200, the LSU commit's wind-aided 12.02 in the 100 to finish fifth at a 5A regional meet didn't qualify for state, but Bigam pulled off the fastest high school 100-meter time in Texas this season, rattling off an 11.35.
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Skylar Brazzell, Trophy Club Byron Nelson (6A), Soph.
Best event: 200
PR: 24.00 (UIL 6A State meet)
Brazzell could become the state's best sprinter before she graduates. After a productive indoor season that included two top-two finishes at Nike Indoor Nationals, she finished third in the 200 and fourth in the 100 at the 6A UIL state track meet.
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Aaliyah Gipson, Duncanville (6A), Jr.
Best event: 100
PR: 11.57 (2023 6A District 11 meet)
Won a 6A district championship in the 100 and finished runner-up in the 4x100 at state with a 45.55. Gipson's district mark (11.57) is the 23rd best high school 100 time in the nation this spring. She's primed to be one of the state's best returning sprinter next season.
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Laila Hackett, Frisco Lebanon Trail (5A), Sr.
Best event: 100
PR: 10.69 (11.27 with 6.5 meters/second wind aid)
The Texas A&M signee finished a decorated high school career with a rousing sendoff from classmates and a 5A state gold in the 100 (11.51) and 200 (23.96). As a junior, she finished second in the 100 at the state meet and fourth in the 200.
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Alyssa Jones, Smithson Valley (5A), Soph.
Best event: 200
PR: 25.59 (2023 UIL 5A State meet)
How's this for a productive 5A state meet? Jones took first in the 200 (23.59), was a part of a first place finishing 4x200 team that finished in 1:37.69 and placed second in the long jump with a 19-3.50 mark. She also popped off an 11.76 in a 100-meter preliminary heat in the Texas Relays.
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Nita Koom-Dadzie, Humble Kingwood (6A), Jr.
Best events: 100, 200
PR: 100 — 11.43; 200 — 23.60.
Took home a silver medal in the UIL 6A 100-meter championships as a sophomore, and shaved a tenth of a second off of her personal best at the Texas Relays (11.43). Koom-Dadzie would have entered the stat meet a 6A contender in the 100 and 200, but scratched due to a hamstring injury.
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Lauren Lewis, Prosper (5A), Sr.
Best event: 400
PR: 51.83
Texas commit is the fastest 400-meter runner in Texas state history when she ran a 51.83 at the 6A District 5/6 area championships, breaking a 17-year old record set by Fort Bend Marshall’s Brandi Cross in 2006. It’s the quickest high school 400 time since 2019 and against this year’s UIL field, the fastest 400 time by nearly two seconds
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Taylor Nunez, Universal City Randolph (3A), Soph.
Best event: Long jump
PR: 20-8.5 (2023 UIL Regional IV meet)
Somehow, the sophomore phenom built on a tremendous freshman campaign. After winning four individual state titles as a freshman to lead Randolph to a 3A team title, she won four more: 100, 200, 4x100 and long jump. The University City school repeated and Nunez broke the 3A long jump record.
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Jordyn Price, Conroe Grand Oaks (6A), Sr.
Best event: 100
PR: 11.69
The Oklahoma signee finished among the state's best sprinters this season but has her eyes set on much more. She finished second (11.71) in the 100 at the 6A state meet behind Celeste Robinson with a 11.71 after winning the event at regionals to close out her high school career, and plans to run at a Nike under-20 meet over the summer in hopes to qualify for Team USA.
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Celeste Robinson, Cypress Ranch (6A), Soph.
Best event: 100
PR: 11.34 (2023 UIL 6A Region II meet)
Cypress Ranch sent her off to state in style and Robinson didn't disappoint. The future is bright for the sophomore, who took home gold in the UIL 6A 100-meter dash finals with an 11.64 and offered a reactionary celebration well worthy of the achievement. Robinson won the 100 at districts then placed seventh at regionals as a freshman.
