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The first day of the MSHSL State Track & Field Championships was a whirlwind of athletic prowess from the best of the best from all around Minnesota. Athletes from across the state gathered to showcase their talents, pushing the limits of speed, strength, and endurance. Day one included the Class A and AAA prelims and several finals, adding to the excitement and intensity of the competition. The stadium buzzed with excitement as competitors vied for top honors in their respective events, setting the stage for an unforgettable two days of high-stakes competition. From thrilling photo finishes to awe-inspiring displays of skill, day one set the tone for what promises to be an exceptional state championships.
Brainerd Track and Field Impresses with Three Individual Titles
The track and field athletes of Brainerd High School showed out on day one of the state championships, to the tune of three individual titles and a day one lead for the boys team. The individual titles were won by Dylan Gross in the shot put, Cora Clough in the high jump, and Ty Nelson in the boys triple jump. With Gross and Nelson picking up individual titles, that equated to 24 combined points, enough to put Brainerd in first place for Class AAA ahead of Chaska with 20 points and Wayzata with 17 points.
Combined, the boys and girls scored 36 points on day one for Class. Their 36 points rank second overall for combined boys and girls teams, with only Minnesota powerhouse Wayzata ahead of them.
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Dylan Gross Enters the Top Ten
| Rank | Thrower | Mark |
| 1 | Hayden Bills | 66' 8.75" |
| 2 | Thomas Anderson | 65' 8" |
| 3 | Nate Englin | 65' 6" |
| 4 | Tim Senjem | 65' 3" |
| 5 | Casey Dehn | 64' 11.75" |
| 6 | Tony Nelson | 64' 5.5" |
| 7 | Maxwell Otterdahl | 64' 4" |
| 8 | Luke Johnson | 64' 2" |
| 9 | Marcus Hansen | 63' 2.25" |
| 10 | Dylan Gross | 62' 10.5" |
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Sophomores Girls Shine with Over Half of Day 1 AAA Titles
It was the sophomore star show on Day 1 of the state championships, with four sophomores winning titles in Class AAA. In the first race of the state championships, it was a nail-bitter of a finish with Maddie Gullickson repeating at the Class AAA 3200m champion with a time of 10:42.44, winning by just 0.35 seconds over freshman Evie Malec.
In another repeat, Samantha Carr of Shakopee, won the girls long jump title with a new PR of 18' 8.75", a 1 inch PR for Carr. She won the event on her first jump of the day, and won by 3.25 inches over fellow sophomore Jayda Wilson of Roseville. Another sophomore girls title was won by Brainerd's Cora Clough, jumping 5' 4" in the high jump and winning by being the only girl to hit that height on one attempt.
Finally, Alexis Fahey of Forest Lake put together a monster performance in the discus, winning with a mark of 154' 11". This was a huge PR of Fahey, beating her previous best of 147' 8" by over 7 feet. Her mark of 154' 11" made her just the 22nd girl in state history to throw over 150 feet in the discus and she now ranks 14th all-time in Minnesota state history.
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McKaylen Lewis Shines With Huge Jump
It was the McKaylen Lewis show for the Class A long jump at day one of the state championships, with Lewis winning the title with a dominant jump of 19' 9". The STAR freshman for the Math & Science Academy, Lewis's jump of 19' 9" won the title by almost two feet over Addison Condon.
Her mark of 19' 9" was notable for many reasons. First, her mark of 19' 9" now ranks 5th all-time in Minnesota state history. Secondly, she broke the freshmen class record in Minnesota, beating the old record of 19' 5.25" set by Wensia Johnson in 2013. Finally, she now ranks tied for 25th overall nationally in the event this outdoor season, and ranks 2nd in her class this outdoor season.
All-Time MN Girls LJ Marks
| Rank | Athlete | Mark |
| 1 | Anna Keefer | 20' 1.25" |
| 2 | Robbie Grace | 20' 1" |
| 3 | Nyalaam Jok | 20' 0.5" |
| 4 | Mia Barron | 19' 10" |
| 5 | McKaylen Lewis | 19' 9" |
Lewis also competed in the girls high jump, winning another title with a jump of 5' 5". This was an upset over the defending state champion in Annaka Forsberg.
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Lakeview's Lucas Taylor Sets State Record
Competing in the wheelchair shot put event in Class A with his teammates, Lucas Taylor came out not only on top, but with a new Minnesota state record for his event. Taylor, finished with a throw of 27' 9" in the wheelchair shot put event as a Cat 2 athlete. This is now the 4th time he has beat the Cat 2 state record this season. The previous state record for a Cat 2 athlete was set by Luke Johnston with a throw of 23' 8" in 2019. A Cat 2 athlete has an upper body impairment where Cat 1 is only lower body impairment. Cat 1 throws a heavier implement usually.
All-Time Best WC Shot Put Marks (All Throwers)
| Rank | Athlete | Mark |
| 1 | Lucas Taylor | 27' 9" |
| 2 | Danny Lilya | 24' 9" |
| 3 | Luke Johnston | 23' 8" |
| 4 | Cody Schlecht | 23' 5" |
| 5 | Jonathon Laing | 22' 4.75" |
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