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Many Minnesota boys return to the 2023 MSHSL State Track and Field Championships with their 2022 titles on the line. Will they repeat, do they face stiff competition, or are they a shoo-in to win another title?
Here we look at each returning champion and how they fare in their event:
Only counting individual events and no relays.
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Returning Boys State Champion
Richlu Tudee - 100m & 200m (Class AAA)
Champlin Park senior Richlu Tudee returns to the state meet again in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay. In the 100m he ranks tied for third among the entrants on the heat sheet with his section time of 10.92. Overall he ranks tied for 11th for Class AAA this season with his time of 10.92, but he does hold a PR in the 100m of 10.61 from 2022.
In the 200m, Tudee ranks third on the heat sheets also with a time of 21.66 that is only behind Michael Haugo and Harlow Tong from this year's sections meets. His PR this season of 21.66 ranks him #3 in Class AAA this season.
Last year, Tudee ran times of 10.61 in the 100m and 21.13 in the 200m to win his state titles.
Kaleb Sharp - 800m (Class AA)
The defending Class AA champion in the 800m is also the top-seeded individual in the 800m and the Class AA state meet record holder in the 800m. He comes in with a sections time of 1:56.60 and is ranked as the #3 800m in Class AA this season with his time of 1:53.80. His main competition looks to be Cameron Stocke who ranks #1 in Class AA this season with a time of 1:52.91.
Last year, Sharp ran a time of 1:55.37 to win his state title in the 800m.
Cameron Stocke - 1600m (Class AA)
One of the fastest milers in state history with his PR of 4:11.53 from last year's state championships, Stocke comes back to defend his title. Stocke comes into the meet as the #1 seeded 1600m runner in Class AA, just ahead of Matthew Lindgren, Alden Keller, and Emmett Gerres. Stocke ranks #2 in Class AA in the 1600m this season only behind Gerres.
Noah Breker- 3200m (Class AAA)
Breker is one of the greatest 3200m runners in state history, but won't be a shoo-in for the 3200m state title in one of the strongest fields of runners for this race in state history. Breker is the top-seeded runner with a time of 8:54.43, but just behind him is Aidan Jones (8:59.41), Sam Scott (9:01.03), and Robert Mechura (9:00.82). It would seem that the state meet record of 8:57.07 could be in jeopardy.
Breker won last year's race with a time of 9:04.81.
Corbin Herron - 110m Hurdles (Class AA)
Herron returns as the #1 seeded runner for the 110m hurdles this season in Class AA with his seed time of 14.71 from sections. He will face some stiff competition as all five hurdlers who ran under 15 seconds in Class AA this season will be included in the three heats of this race.
Last year, Herron won the 110m hurdles title with a time of 14.97.
Jack Fischer - 300m Hurdles (Class AA)
The top-seeded 300m hurdles runner in and the #1 in Class AA this season, Fischer is seemingly the man to beat at state. His top seed time and #1 time in Class AA of 39.11 is just ahead of #2 runner Tayven Peterson who has a time of 39.33.
Last year, Fischer won the 300m hurdles with a time of 39.68.
Carter Anderson - High Jump (Class AA)
Anderson was last years Class AA high jump champion with a jump of 6' 6" in the finals to win by just an inch. This year he will face some stiff competition in Owen Carlson who has jumped 6' 8", 6' 8.5" and 6' 10". Anderson has consistently jumped 6' 4" this season and has hit 6' 6" twice.
Justin Gleason - Long Jump (Class AAA)
Last year's long jump champion for Class AAA will have to step up in 2023 to retain his title with new Minnesota state long jump record holder Juriad Hughes Jr. as his chief competition and standout Eden Prairie jumper Devin Jordan up there with them. Is looks to be Gleason, Hughes Jr. and Jordan and they are the only three boys to jump over 23 feet this season in Class AAA.
Last year, Gleason won the state long jump title for Class AAA with a jump of 23' 1.75"
Brian Schloeder - Pole Vault (Class AA)
The top-seeded pole vaulter in Class AA has surely cemented himself as the man to beat when he jumped 16' 0" a couple of weeks ago, becoming the fourth Minnesota boy to hit that mark all-time. Schloeder is the top seeded pole vaulter from sections with a jump of 14' 5", but has eclipsed that height 7 times this season. His chief competition appears to be 15' 6" vaulter Payton Kasper.
Last year, Schloeder won the state title with a vault of 14' 3".
Hayden Bills - Discus (Class AAA)
The returning Class AAA discus state champion, the state meet record holder for the discus, and one of the best discus throwers in state history and nationally in 2023. Barring a huge upset, Bills will be the 2023 state discus champion for the second year in a row. He is the #1 seed from sections with his throw of 192' 9", which is 10 feet ahead of his nearest competitor. Overall this year, Bills ranks #9 nationally with a throw of 198' 11".
Last year, Bills won the title with a throw of 196' 2".
Sawyer Tordsen - Discus (Class AA)
Tordsen will have a lot of competition come the state meet if he wants to retain his title. Last year Tordsen won the Class AA discus title with a throw of 156' 9". That is a mark he has eclipsed six times this season, but five other Class AA throwers are seeded at that height or higher for state. Tordsen ranks #5 in the discus in Class AA this season with a throw of 165' 3". All of the four throwers above him this season will also be throwing at state.