Muhammad, the 2022 state champion, returns to Veterans Memorial Stadium for first time in nearly a year to represent Pittsburg High, with she and brother Khaliq earning victories in gold pole vault competitions; Johnson and Madsen both sweep throwing events despite inclement weather

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

CLOVIS, Calif. – Jathiyah Muhammad has sprinted down the pole vault runway at Veterans Memorial Stadium wearing multiple uniforms and encountering several wind and weather variables during her prep career.

But her return to the host facility for the California State Track and Field Championships was a significant one Saturday at the West Coast Relays and Muhammad made sure it was a family affair once again.

RESULTS | INTERVIEWS

Competing at Veterans Memorial Stadium for the first time in nearly a year, Muhammad – an Arizona-bound senior at Pittsburg High – managed to navigate her way through 40-degree weather, strong wind gusts and a threatening rainstorm to prevail in the gold section of the girls pole vault with a clearance of 13 feet, 6 inches (4.11m).

Khaliq Muhammad, a junior at Pittsburg and Jathiyah’s brother, won the boys gold pole vault competition with a 16-2 (4.93m) clearance.

Jathiyah captured the state title for Dublin High in 2022 at Veterans Memorial Stadium, then competed unattached last year while representing San Jose Track Club, vaulting against collegiate and professional athletes, with her only appearance at the venue coming at the Fresno State Invitational.

With both Muhammad siblings transferring to North Coast Section rival Pittsburg, Jathiyah has already triumphed this season at the 96th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, the 56th Arcadia Invitational and the West Coast Relays, which has been hosted by Buchanan since 2006.

The strong and unpredictable wind gusts impacted not just the sprint and hurdle races, but also the jumping and throwing events as well Saturday, in addition to contributing to uncharacteristically slow distance performances in the second half of the meet.

The readings on the 100-meter dash ranged from -3.4 meters per second headwind to a +7.1 tailwind in less than 30 minutes.

Two of the state’s elite juniors managed to power through the challenging winds to sweep the gold section discus throw and shot put competitions.

Clovis North’s McKay Madsen rallied in the final round of the shot put to triumph with a 61-10.50 (18.86m) effort, then prevailed with a 186-3 (56.77m) performance in the opening round of the discus.

Buchanan senior Derek Smith achieved a personal-best 58-9.50 (17.92m) in the shot put to place second and was also runner-up in the discus with a throw of 180-3 (54.95m).

Aja Johnson of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame emerged victorious in a girls shot put showdown with Campolindo’s Pinkie Schnayer by a 45-3 (13.79m) to 44-8 (13.61m) margin.

Johnson also secured the win in the discus with a 148-11 (45.39m) performance.

Amaia Witt, Johnson’s teammate at Notre Dame, cleared 5-5 (1.65m) to prevail in the gold section of the girls high jump.

The Knights also had Elliot Cooper, Ehimen Oyamendan, Steele Pizzella and Trey Fernandez win the boys gold 4x100-meter relay in 41.75.

Canyon had an impressive day in the sprints as well, with senior Mikaela Warr winning the girls gold 100-meter dash into a strong headwind in 12.10 seconds and freshman teammate Emoni Wright taking third in 12.57.

Brianna Bartone and Alaya Graves-Hogains joined Warr and Wright to help Canyon prevail in the gold 4x100 relay in 47.00.

Canyon also placed second in the gold 4x400 relay in 3:59.68, with San Luis Obispo’s quartet of Skyler Katics, Ali Abercromby, Gwyndolyn Katics, Kalayah Olivera clocking 3:57.27 for the victory.

Jordehn Gammage earned the win in the gold 300 hurdles in 39.07, in addition to joining Josh Cambaliza, Myles McCrory and Emrys Coleman on the victorious gold 4x400 quartet in 3:27.60.

The Cowboys also captured the 4x800 relay, with Aidan Rodriguez, Anthony Alarcon Vides, Erick Leal and Saul Jimenez running 8:08.06.

Bakersfield sophomore Jalen Ford benefited from a +5.2 tailwind to triumph in the boys gold 100-meter dash in 10.43, with Buchanan’s Donovan Dunmore earning second in 10.57. Dunmore prevailed in the gold 200 in a wind-aided 21.91.

Clovis senior Linkin Woolf won the boys gold 400 in 49.13 and added a victory in the silver 200 in a wind-aided 22.08.

Canyon’s Jeremiah Taylor was second in 49.21 and also took third in the silver 200 in 22.62.

Fresno Central’s Noel Felix edged Notre Dame’s Miles Paris in the gold 110 hurdles by a 14.45 to 14.46 margin.

Nairobi Smith of French American International School in San Francisco won the girls gold 200 in a wind-aided 24.58.

In addition to the Muhammad siblings sweeping the pole vault competitions, Pittsburg picked up another victory in the gold section with Milani Bell holding off Clovis North’s Emerson Parks by a 55.39 to 55.69 margin in the 400 meters.

Bakersfield Liberty’s Bella Turner and Dinuba’s Avril Mendoza both won their respective 100-meter hurdle races and then squared off in a thrilling matchup in the gold 300-meter hurdles.

Turner won the gold 100 hurdles in 15.00 and Mendoza prevailed in the silver section in 15.53, both run into strong headwinds. Mendoza then triumphed by a 44.79 to 44.81 margin in the 300 hurdles.

Many of the distance races were tactical affairs, although Campolindo junior Shea Volkmer benefited from calmer conditions earlier in the meet to run 4:47.15 in the gold 1,600.

Bakersfield Liberty senior Nicole Bridges was second in the 1,600 in a lifetime-best 4:55.81 and returned to win the gold 800 in 2:19.74.

Mia Torrecillas of Bakersfield Highland was victorious in the girls gold 3,200 in 11:02.04.

Samantha Ebell, Kaitelyn Emmons, Hayden Craft and Parks contributed to Clovis North winning the girls 4x800 relay in 9:47.95.

El Diamante senior Devin Ibarra prevailed in the boys gold 1,600 in 4:13.33, holding off Buchanan’s Luke Sanders in 4:14.07 and Templeton’s Josh Bell in 4:14.13.

Fresno Edison’s Aidan Ransom clocked 1:59.54 in the boys gold 800, just ahead of Clovis East’s Marcus Salinas in 1:59.97.

Clovis West’s Sam Dresick ran 9:34.68 to secure victory in the boys gold 3,200.

Clovis East’s Harold Duvall triumphed in the boys gold long jump with a leap of 23-0.50.

Fresno Central’s David Mangum prevailed in the boys gold triple jump with a mark of 46-1.

Legend Moore from Stockton St. Mary’s and Mission Oak’s Levi Jimenez both cleared 6-3 (1.90m) in the boys gold high jump. Braylin Herron from Bakersfield Ridgeview had the top overall clearance in the meet by winning the silver section at 6-4 (1.93m).

Bakersfield senior Kyndall Hannible won the girls gold long jump with a leap of 18-2 (5.53m).

Hannah Vincent of San Benito Hollister and Vivian Moore from Fresno Central both produced triple jump marks of 37-2.75 (11.35m) in the gold competition, with Vincent prevailing based on a better second performance.