SIOUX FALLS – A frustrating start turned into a great finish for Kali Ringstmeyer at state track.
Ringstmeyer won the AA girls 200 meters Saturday, becoming Pierre’s third state champion in as many days at the 2023 SDHSAA Track & Field State Championships at Howard Wood Food.
Ringstmeyer just held off Brookings’ Maddix Archer and Linnea Nesheim of Sioux Falls Lincoln to win with a time of 26.29 seconds. Archer’s time was 26.48 seconds; Nesheim’s was 26.49.
Thursday had been a day of frustration for Ringstmeyer, a sophomore. She entered the 100 meter qualifying as a contender, but was disqualified for a false start. Later that day, she was part of a bad baton exchange as the Governors’ couldn’t qualify in the 4×100 relay.
However, on Friday, Ringstmeyer recovered to have the best qualfying time in the 200 meters.
Kali said that she hoped for the 100 meter title, but was very happy to win the 200.
Ringstmeyer said that she was happy to be the top qualifier in the 200 Friday after all of the problems on Thursday.
Competitors had to run into a strong headwind. Could that actually have been an advantage for Kali, who is shorter than most runners?
Ringstmeyer’s state title win was the first for a Governor girls sprinter since those of Cortney Dowling.
Also on Saturday, Jason Maciejczak finished third in the AA boys discus with a best throw of 174 feet, four inches. Maciejczak had won the AA boys shot put on Friday.
Maya Shorter finished fifth in the AA girls javelin with a throw of 122 feet, 10 inches. Shorter finished second Friday in the discus.
In other Pierre track events Saturday, the Governors’ girls 4×200 relay team finished fourth. Jared Lutmer was seventh in the boys’ 1600 meters, running in 4:27.43. Deegan Houska placed seventh in the boys 300 meter hurdles with a time of 41.82.
Overall, the Governor girls finished in ninth place with 38 points. The boys were 10th with 27 1/2 points.
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