In the world of sports, a display of toughness can be obvious to an arena filled with spectators. Other times it is less perceptible to onlookers but every bit as inspiring.
At Saturday's Class 4A state track and field championships, Thunder Mountain senior Naomi Welling's toughness was plain to see.
She broke her own state record in the 300-meter hurdles, one of track's most punishing events. Welling powered her way around the obstacle course in 43.49 seconds, trimming .58 off the record she set a year ago.
About a half-hour later, she was back on the track for the 800-meter run. Trailing through the first 600 meters, Welling ran an explosive final 200 to pull off a double victory that astounded even the most seasoned track observers.
"I can't believe that," said Larry Whitmore, the former Bartlett High coach who guided more than 100 kids to state titles during a span of 24 years. "In all my years of coaching, I never had a double like that."
Between Welling's races, West High senior Mark Fisher won his second hurdles championship of the day. Smooth and graceful from start to finish, you would have never guessed the turmoil he has endured lately and the toughness it took for him to compete.
Four weeks ago, Fisher watched his dad die. Larry Fisher was recovering from surgery on his neck and Mark had just come home from track practice.
"I was asking him if he needed anything, and he said no," Fisher said. And then, he said, "it all just went all bad."
Going back to school after his dad died from complications from surgery was hard. Going back to track practice was even harder.
"I took a couple weeks off to help my mom out with the funeral and things," he said. "My first week back, it was kinda rough. I didn't have the mindset for track anymore.
"My mom, she said, 'Even though your dad passed away, he'd want you to work hard. Go to (the state championships) and make him proud.'
"I know he was watching me going over every hurdle."
Among those joining Fisher and Welling as double-winners were senior sprinters Katie Hines and Brett Morman of South High.
"It's kind of weird knowing this is my last state race," said Hines, who won the 100 and 200. Her next race will be at the Division I level for Davidson College in South Carolina.
Morman won a close ran to take the 100 title, edging Chugiak's Dillon Pratt by .11 of a second in 10.95.
"Me and Dillon have been close all year," Morman said. "It's amazing. I worked all year for it."
Things got more amazing later on in the 200. Morman and Pratt were declared co-winners after posting identical times of 22.0.
It was the day's second first-place tie – in the Class 3A competition, Galena teammates Kaleb Korta and Jacob Moos shared the 1,600 win.
Whitmore said he couldn't remember a first-place tie at the state championships since automatic timing replaced hand-held timing a generation ago.
In the team competition, the Chugiak Mustangs captured their first girls crown since 1994. Meet officials did not report final team scores for the Class 4A boys.
The Mustangs got big points from sophomore Emma Nelson, who won the long jump and was second in the triple jump and high jump, and their relay teams.
Nelson set personal-bests in the long jump and triple jump and for variety ran a leg on the winning 800 relay.
"I love the running events," she said, "but since I excel in jumping they try to put me in the jumping events."
Juniors Ariana Davis and Cerina Bush ran legs on both of Chugiak's victorious relay teams, finished 2-3 in the 100 and 4-5 in the 200.
"Sharing a win is so much bigger than winning one individually," Davis said. "It's so nice to celebrate as a team. We're like a family."
Ty Jordan gave the Mustangs something to celebrate by winning the boys 1,600 meters in 4:15.78.
Jordan, who will run Division I track at Boise State next season, was gunning for the state record of 4:12.17.
"I was on pace pretty much until the last lap," he said. "I needed to run a 62 (on the final lap), and I guess I didn't."
Jordan's title caps a solid career that saw him take down the long-standing 1,600-meter record set by Davis Morris, who went on to win an NCAA title and set the U.S. record in the marathon.
Ever since his freshman season of track was derailed by illness, Jordan has devoted himself to running.
"Since then I've been training for running all year," he said. "I went to summer camps, I ran cross country, I went to winter camps. This year I quit skiing to focus on running."
Eagle River senior Jordyn Bruce ended her career with a victory in the 100 hurdles and a blazing second-place performance in the 300 hurdles.
Along with teammate Peyton Young, who won Friday's 3,200, Bruce was one of two state champions for Eagle River – a school that is generally overshadowed in sports by Anchorage's bigger high schools.
"Our school is so small and we're not known for athletics, but we have some great people," Bruce said.
Bruce blasted out of the blocks en route to her win in the 100 hurdles, and then she and Welling turned the 300 hurdles into a showcase of speed.
Both runners surpassed the previous state record, with Bruce also breaking the 44-second barrier with a time of 43.80.
"I hadn't really had anybody on my shoulder like that," Welling said, "and it kinda gave me the motivation to push through that last 100."
Welling followed her hurdles record with her 800 victory, a brutal combination of events that transpired over about 45 minutes.
"I usually I try to make sure I sit down and get some water and some energy in me," said Welling, who hopes to compete in the heptathlon as a walk-on at Brigham Young next season.
"You just need to tough it out."
ASAA/First National Bank
Class 4A state track and field championships
Team scores not available
Saturday's finals
Boys
100 – 1) Brett Morman, South, 10.95; 2) Dillon Pratt, Chugiak, 11.06; 3) Aidan Hildebrand, Thunder Mountain, 11.34; 4) Josh Jackman, Kenai, 11.57; 5) Xavier Simon, West Valley, 11.64; 6) Colton Herman, East, 11.72; 7) John Somerlot, Thunder Mountain, 11.72; 8) Jordan Nero, Colony, 11.77.
200 – 1) tie, Dillon Pratt, Chugiak, and Brett Morman, South, 22.0; 3) Jack Martensen, Service, 22.38; 4) Bentiu Panoam, Bartlett, 22.45; 5) Micah Banks, West Valley, 22.76; 6) Billy Alcaide, Kodiak, 23.11; 7) Rafa Zavala, Dimond, 23.25; 8) Justin Miller, 23.83.
400 – 1) Bentiu Panoam, Bartlett, 49.35; 2) Jack Martensen, Service, 49.49; 3) Brandon Joyner, West Valley, 50.12; 4) Galat Tut, Ketchikan, 50.58; 5) Luke Paden, Thunder Mountain, 51.82; 6) Josh Jackman, Kenai, 52.32; 7) Austin Sayer, Chugiak, 52.67; 8) Ty Jordan, Chugiak, 55.15.
800 – 1) Atticus Everett, West, 1:57.30; 2) Aaron Swedberg, Soldotna, 1:58.70; 3) Derek Steele, South, 1:59.26; 4) Levi Michael, Soldotna, 1:59.38; 5) Cameron Herron, West Valley, 2:00.39; 6) Jack Hannah, Kodiak, 2:01.42; 7) Keith Osowski, Kodiak, 2:09.91.
1,600 – 1) Ty Jordan, Chugiak, 4:15.78; 2) Derek Steele, South, 4:23.48; 3) Michael Parnell, Kodiak, 4:30.58; 4) Keith Osowski, Kodiak, 4:30.85; 5) Dakota Peterson-Thompson, Colony, 4:31.34; 6) Wyatt Dodge, Service, 4:32.81; 7) Quincy Fuller, Wasilla, 4:33.12; 8) Jacob Walsh, Eagle River, 4:33.36.
110 hurdles – 1) Mark Fisher, West, 15.20; 2) William Troxel, West, 15.76; 3) Brady Southwick, Palmer, 16.10; 4) Mason Wadsworth, Eagle River, 16.16; 5) tie, Abraham Van Hout, Soldotna, and Will Balcao, South, 16.27; 7) Jarett Wilson, Kenai, 16.59; 8) Aaron Alonzo, Kodiak, 16.77.
300 hurdles – 1) Mark Fisher, West, 41.03; 2) Will Balcao, South, 41.21; 3) Mason Wadsworth, Eagle River, 41.87; 4) Daryl Bushnell, East, 41.96; 5) William Troxel, West, 42.0; 6) Dax Cvancara, Dimond, 42.65; 7) John Morris, Thunder Mountain, 43.42; 8) Melvin Charles-White, Colony, 45.78.
400 relay – 1) Thunder Mountain 43.73; 2) Service 44.37; 3) West Valley 44.41; 4) South 45.33; 5) Dimond 45.37; 6) Colony 45.70; 7) Palmer 45.77; 8) Lathrop 45.79.
800 relay – 1) West Valley 1:30.91; 2) Thunder Mountain 1:31.14; 3) Dimond 1:32.86; 4) Bartlett 1:33.99; 5) Colony 1:34.20; 6) Service 1:35.10; 7) Wasilla 1:36.19.
1,600 relay – 1) Bartlett 3:27.14; 2) West Valley 3:29.76; 3) Kodiak 3:30.43; 4) Chugiak 3:31.66; 5) Palmer 3:33.15; 6) Soldotna 3:37.88; 7) Service 3:40.71; 8) Thunder Mountain 3:43.55.
3,200 relay – 1) Kodiak 8:07.89; 2) Bartlett 8:09.58; 3) West Valley 8:11.31; 4) Soldotna 8:20.18; 5) Chugiak 8:24.75; 6) Eagle River 8:38.42; 7) Palmer 8:39.20; 8) Juneau 8:48.90.
High jump – 1) Bryce Hellman, Bartlett, 6-6; 2) Brandon Joyner, West Valley, 6-4; 3) Nathaniel Fromm, Service, 6-0; 4) Andreas Carros, Kodiak, 5-10; 5) Terrell Johnson, West Valley, 5-10; 6) Keenan Orth, Kenai, 5-8; 7) Dallas Tellef, Bartlett, 5-8; 8) tie, Mark Fisher, West, and Donovan Eiman, Palmer, 5-8.
Long jump – 1) Josh Jackman, Kenai, 22-2.75; 2) Micah Banks, West Valley, 21-3.5; 3) Nathaniel Fromm, Service, 21-3.25; 4) Brandon Nicholson, Colony, 21-1.75; 5) Elijah Blackweasel, West Valley, 20-3.25; 6) Bentiu Panoam, Bartlett, 20-2.25; 7) Cephas Ekuase, Dimond, 19-10.5; 8) Trevor Ortiz, Ketchikan, 19-8.25.
Girls
100 – 1) Katie Hines, Soiuth, 12.28; 2) Ariana Davis, Chugiak, 12.49; 3) Cerina Bush, Chugiak, 12.59; 4) Jazlan Davis, Lathrop, 12.65; 5) Envyi Pendergrass, Lathrop, 12.86; 6) Brittany Taylor, Soldotna, 12.88; 7) Aly Heaton, Thunder Mountain, 12.95; 8) Bernadette Franulovich, Ketchikan, 13.02.
200 – Katie Hines, South, 25.45; 2) Gretta Pickett, West, 25.77; 3) Jordyn Bruce, Eagle River, 25.80; 4) Ariana Davis, Chugiak, 26.03; 5) Cerina Bush, Chugiak, 26.47; 6) Kaylyn Kelly, Wasilla, 26.87; 7) Daisy Nelson, Soldotna, 26.94; 8) Jazlan Davis, Lathrop, 27.01.
400 – 1) Daisy Nelson, Soldotna, 59.11; 2) Bailey Roe, West Valley, 1:00.01; 3) Brittany Taylor, Soldotna, 1:00.67; 4) Erika Rodanhisler, Ketchikan, 1:01.22; 5) Olivia Hutchings, Soldotna, 1:02.58; 6) Malikah Hughes, West Valley, 1:03.38; 7) Kaitlyn Bailey, South, 1:03.47; 8) Chase Stewart, North Pole, 1:04.02.
800 – 1) Naomi Welling, Thunder Mountain, 2:21.51; 2) Morgan Lash, South, 2:23.47; 3) Ruby Woodings, Palmer, 2:24.67; 4) Erin Wallace, Thunder Mountain, 2:24.69; 5) Brooke Gottmeier, West Valley, 2:25.79; 6) Peyton Young, Eagle River, 2:27.83; 7) Shelby Lindsay, Bartlett, 2:28.63; 8) Jordyn Block, Colony, 2:29.28.
1,600 – 1) Morgan Lash, South, 5:09.15; 2) Erin Wallace, Thunder Mountain, 5:20.86; 3) Kylie Judd, Dimond, 5:25.60; 4) Peyton Young, Eagle River, 5:27.51; 5) Zoe Bigley, Kodiak, 5:28.30; 6) Meagan Bauer, Service, 5:28.76; 7) Emma Sees, Chugiak, 5:29.30; 8) Coleen Geraghty, Colony, 5:29.86.
100 hurdles – 1) Jordyn Bruce, Eagle River, 15.10; 2) Naomi Welling, Thunder Mountain, 15.18; 3) Gretta Pickett, West, 15.48; 4) Chase Stephens, Colony, 15.52; 5) Ann Gebauer, Service, 16.31; 6) Katherine Kirby, West, 16.82; 7) Olivia Maisey, South, 17.03; 8) Katie Kilfoyle, Kenai, 17.18.
300 hurdles – 1) Naomi Welling, Thunder Mountain, 43.49; 2) Jordyn Bruce, Eagle River, 43.80; 3) Gretta Pickett, West, 45.01; 4) Katie Kilfoyle, Kenai, 48.38; 5) tie, Sophie Thomas, Soldotna, and Madeline Ko, Colony, 48.86; 7) Hannah Villaroya, Kodiak, 50.15; 8) Jourdin Bedwell, Chugiak, 50.52.
400 relay – 1) Chugiak 50.23; 2) South 50.34; 3) Dimond 51.07; 4) Lathrop 51.64; 5) Bartlett 51.70; 6) Kodiak 52.39; 7) West Valley 53.24; 8) Thunder Mountain 54.39.
800 relay – 1) Chugiak 1:46.89; 2) Dimond 1:48.65; 3) Lathrop 1:49.61; 4) Kenai 1:50.54; 5) Thunder Mountain 1:53.37; 6) Colony 1:53.85.
1,600 relay – 1) Soldotna 4:08.86; 2) West Valley 4:12.63; 3) Eagle River 4:14.34; 4) West 4:18.13; 5) Chugiak 4:18.55; 6) Kenai 4:20.15; 7) Ketchikan 4:21.83; 8) Dimond 4:31.52.
3,200 relay – 1) Colony 9:51.93; 2) South 9:59.02; 3) Dimond 9:59.15; 4) Palmer 10:13.50; 5) Chugiak 10:13.51; 6) Eagle River 10:21.99; 7) Ketchikan 10:46.36.
Shot put – 1) Alissa Pili, Dimond, 39-11; 2) Envyi Pendergrass, Lathrop, 39-6.5; 3) Tava Fereti, Dimond, 37-8; 4) Richelle Walker, Kodiak, 35-11; 5) Abby Beck, Kenai, 35-2; 6) Sylvia Tuisaula, Soldotna, 35-1; 7) Emma Ushmann, Palmer, 33-1; 8) Rose Lega, Bartlett, 32-11.
Long jump – 1) Emma Nelson, Chugiak, 18-0.25; 2) Chase Stephens, Colony, 16-5.25; 3) Allison Gonzales, East, 15-9.5; 4) Dreanna Owens, Eagle River, 15-8.5; 5) Julianne Wilson, Kenai, 15-7; 6) Anna Condio, Colony, 15-5.75; 7) Kaia Michalsen, Ketchikan, 15-1; 8) Madeline Ko, Colony 14-9.5.