On Saturday, April 26, the annual Sacramento Meet of Champions (SMOC) track meet was held in California, featuring four qualified athletes from Tracy High School competing in a range of events from hurdles to pole vault.
Kaeden Gulko, a sophomore at Tracy High, was one of the athletes who qualified.
“Going in as the youngest person in the race is always a great reminder of how hard it was to get to that point,” Gulko said. He competed in the 300-meter hurdles and placed 15th out of 22 athletes. “My mindset was just set on staying calm and not being too overwhelmed with the pressure.”
The 42nd annual Meet of Champions featured athletes from every CIF section except San Diego, with additional competitors from Northern Nevada and Oregon.
Eva Davis, a junior, participated in the pole vault event.
“It’s a blessing to be put in an environment where everyone loves the sport as much as you do,” Davis said. She placed eighth out of 11 athletes. “The adrenaline from being around so many athletes really pushes you to perform your best. The lessons learned from each jump can be super valuable for future competitions.”
Throughout its history, SMOC has hosted top high school track and field athletes from Northern, Central and Southern California, as well as from Northern Nevada and Southern Oregon. The meet has produced multiple outstanding records over the years.
Joshua Stallworth, a junior and returning SMOC competitor, ran in the 100-meter race.
“I felt excited and confident. I was fast enough to qualify just like everyone else, so it left no reason for doubt,” Stallworth said. He placed 18th out of 28 athletes. “I will take this experience and use it to perform better next time I have the chance.”
The next meet for Tracy High is the TCAL Championships, scheduled for Wednesday, April 30. For more information and updates, visit the team’s Instagram page @tracyhightfxc.
