Poll: Minnesota Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year


From left to right: Tony Nelson, Ramy Ayoub, Noah Breker, and Richlu Tudee

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The 2022 Minnesota track and field season has come to its end with the finishes of the state track and field meet and the national track and field competitions. It was a historic season filled with new state records, memorable dives across the finish line, and much more!

As usual, the Minnesota boys had a historic season with many top ten all-time marks, state records, state meet records, and more!

Related: 2022 Postseason Minnesota Track and Field Rankings Hub

Here we look at the 2022 candidates for the Minnesota boys track and field athlete of the year! If you want to vote, scroll below past the athlete bios to vote!

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Daniel VanAcker set new personal bests this season in the 400m, 800m, 1600m and 3200m setting new school records in the 800m, 1600m, 3200m, and 4x400m races. Won the Class AAA state title in the 1600m with a state-leading time of 4:10.27. 

Hayden Bills uncorked a discus throw of 196' 2" to set a new personal best, a state meet record, and the 4th best discus throw by a Minnesota boy all-time. Went undefeated in the discus event all season and set a new Rosemount school record in the event. 

Max Reis was one of this season's biggest surprise runners setting huge new personal best times in the 100m and 200m. Reis won the Class AA state titles in both events. He ran times of 10.41 and 21.87 that rank among the best times in state history. 

Ramy Ayoub finished off his career strong with his first 400m state title in Class AAA and all-time great marks in the 400m and 800m. His time of 47.34 ranks him #2 all-time among Minnesota boys and his time of 1:51.96 in the 800m ranks 17th all-time. 

Blake Nyenati was the Class AAA state champion in the boy's 110m and 300m hurdles, running some of the state's all-time best times in the events on the way. His 300m hurdles time of 37.38 ranks him #3 all-time among Minnesota boys. 

Noah Breker continued his distance dominance in the 3200m and 2-mile this year, setting some all-time great times along the way. Ran the state's best time in the 3200m with a time of 9:03.25 en route to winning the state title. At NSAF Nationals, finished 2nd with a time of 8:54.53 that ranks #6 all-time in Minnesota. 

Jarod White set a new state record in the pole vault with a vault of 16' 2" at the Section 1A Championships. Vaulted 16 feet or higher twice this season, the only MN boy to vault 16 feet more than once. Won the Class A state title in the pole vault and broke his own state meet pole vault record. 

Richlu Tudee went from 11.35 (100m) and 22.44 (200m) personal best times last season to huge PRs times of 10.61 and 21.13 just a year later. Won both the 100m and 200m state titles for Class AAA. His time of 10.61 ranks 22nd all-time and his time of 21.13 ranks 7th all-time. 

Tony Nelson had a monster throw of 64' 5.5" to win the Hamline Elite Meet shot put event. Ranks as the 5th best throw all-time by a MN boy. Won the Class A state title and went undefeated in the shot put all year in Minnesota. 

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Poll

Open until 7/28 at 7 pm CST