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The Iowa outdoor track & field state championships took place in Des Moines over the weekend and there were a lot of fireworks - so many we can't begin to touch on them all. But today, we do our best to recap some of the top performances from the last three days at the 2026 spring showcase.
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Sprint Events - Top Performers
Ryan Bair, Keokuk - Bair closed out his season exactly how you would expect one of the state's premier sprinters to, winning state titles in both the 100m and 200m dashes. The senior finishes the year with an IA #1 in the 100m at 10.48 and never lost a 200m race all spring, cementing himself as one of Iowa's best short sprinters in recent years.
Kaiden Kunze, Norwalk - Few athletes had a bigger weekend than Kunze, who walked away with four state championships in the 100m, 200m, 400m, and long jump. The sophomore finished the season undefeated in the 200m, 400m, and long jump.
Rachel Kacmarynski, Pella Christian - Kacmarynski added two more state titles to her resume in the 100m and 200m dashes, including a personal best of 24.08 in the 200m. The junior has still never lost a state title race in the 100m dash and now enters her senior season with an opportunity to complete the sweep in 2027.
Caliana Whitaker, Mount Vernon - After years of coming close on the state's biggest stage, Whitaker finally broke through with state championships in both the 200m and 400m dashes. The senior closes out her high school career with not one, but two state titles, which are the final boxes checked off her list of accomplishments.
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Field Events - Top Performers
Greyson Hartman, Washington - Hartman spent the entire spring establishing himself as one of the nation's elite throwers and backed it up at the state meet with championships in both the shot put and discus. The junior ends the season ranked US #9 in the shot put and now heads into next spring with a chance to defend both titles.
Allison Koch, Grundy Center - Koch finished off a stellar high school career with a state title in the pole vault, clearing 5-8 on the biggest stage of the season. The senior closes the year as Iowa's top vaulter, riding a four-meet win streak.
Distance Events - Top Performers
Lincoln Bainbridge, Van Buren - Bainbridge delivered one of the strongest middle-distance doubles of the weekend, winning state titles in both the 400m and 800m dashes. The senior ran 48.08 and 1:53 across the two races and finishes the season ranked inside Iowa's top 10 in both events.
Kuma Gutema, Sioux City North - Gutema rose to the occasion when it mattered most, capturing state championships in the 800m and 1,600m while running personal bests of 1:51 and 4:09. The sophomore also added a 3rd place finish in the 3,200m and now enters next season as one of the most dangerous distance runners in the Midwest.
Cedar Falls Boys 4x800m Relay - Cedar Falls closed out the season with the state's top 4x800m time at 7:39, finishing the year ranked inside the national top 10. The group consistently delivered throughout the season and proved itself as one of the strongest relay squads Iowa has seen in recent years.
Evelyn Moeller, Mount Vernon - Moeller put together a sensational day in Des Moines, sweeping the 800m, 1,500m, and 3,000m titles while running personal bests in all three events. The senior finishes her career with three top-five marks in Iowa this season and leaves behind one of the best championship performances of the weekend.