Wiesbaden junior Luke Jones pulls away in the final lap of the boys DODEA-Europe cross country championship race Oct. 21, 2023, in Baumholder, Germany. Jones is the favorite in two events at the track and field championships Thursday and Friday and has the second-best time in a third. (J.P. Lawrence/Stars and Stripes)
It’s time once again for the DODEA-Europe track and field scene to converge at Kaiserslautern High School with the European championships Thursday and Friday.
The meet could be the sending off for incredible athletes such as Wiesbaden’s Makiah Parker, who’s looking to go a perfect 4 for 4 in all three sprinting events before heading off to Cal State Bakersfield.
Fellow Warrior Luke Jones will look to continue his dominance of the long-distance races, while also expanding his repertoire into the 800-meter run.
Many upstarts will be looking to upset the apple cart as well this week, too.
Here’s a look at each individual event, based on times or distances achieved during the regular season:
BOYS
100 meters
Three sprinters already have eclipsed 11 seconds in the event and another two have come close.
Stuttgart’s Alex Guthrie, last year’s runner-up, has posted the fastest time in Europe with a 10.84 on April 27 at a home meet. Not to be overlooked, Bahrain junior Carson Owens sits just a hundredth of a second behind with his performance at Naples on May 11, and Kaiserslautern senior Brelan Barnes, last year’s champion, already has dropped 0.2 seconds off his title-winning time with a 10.92 on May 11 in Frankfurt.
Stuttgart’s Daniel Grier and Bahrain sophomore Drue Britton round out the top five seeds with times of 11.10 and 11.15, respectively.
200
One year after placing eighth as a freshman, SHAPE’s Tudor Varvari has burst into pole position. The sophomore recorded a 22.44 on April 27 at Stuttgart, 0.35 seconds ahead of his closest competitor.
The Bahrain duo of Britton and Owens have the second- and third-fasted times at 22.79 and 22.80 seconds, respectively. Barnes sits just 0.02 seconds behind Owens, and Spangdahlem’s Javian Rivera (22.85), Aviano’s Patrick Romanazzi (22.88) and Vilseck’s Samuel Broyles (22.96) aren’t far behind.
400
Varvari and Britton are likely to lead the way again in this event, boasting the top two seed times at 50.63 and 50.89 seconds. Varvari ran his race on April 6 in Ansbach, while Britton hit his mark on May 11 in Napes.
Britton and Varvari are the top two returners from the 2023 meet, going fifth and sixth as freshmen, respectively.
Romanazzi is the only other athlete to be within a second of the other two at 51.15.
800
Aviano junior Zach Taylor might be dreaming of finally standing atop the podium, but he will have some competition.
The Saint finished second behind the now graduated Brandon Seyler of Kaiserslautern last year, and he has the top regular-season time in Europe at 2:01.37 on May 18 at Vicenza.
The problem for him is Wiesbaden star Jones has decided to give the 800 a go. The junior recorded a 2:01.70 half-mile on May 11.
Vicenza’s James Montanio and Stuttgart’s Tobin McArthur are close behind at 2:02.66 and 2:03.80, respectively.
1,600
Good luck trying to catch up with Jones.
The Wiesbaden junior is seeded 15 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor in Aviano’s Adin Evans, with Jones running a 4:23.51 on May 11 in Frankfurt. Evans’ best time is 4:38.88.
Vicenza’s Hudson Selph leads a trio of seeded runners another five seconds back. Selph’s best time is 4:43.22, AFNORTH’s Spencer Johnson enters with a 4:43.37 and Wiesbaden’s Jax Watson comes in at 4:43.67.
3,200
Jones is inevitable in this event, barring an injury or health issue.
The Wiesbaden junior enters the event with a seed time just tenths of a second away from being a whole minute faster than the field. Jones posted a 9:31.89 on April 27.
His teammate Watson is the second seed at 10:31.57. Ramstein senior and last year’s third-place finisher Frank Lozano (10:35.40), Evans (10:41.12), Royal Spencer Jackson (10:41.12) and Vicenza’s Mitchell Horrigan (10:41.73) could also make the podium.
110 hurdles
The third- and fourth-place finishers from last spring are set to duke it out for the top spot this year.
Ramstein senior Vincent Studer hasn’t hit the same times as last year but still has the fastest time of 16 seconds flat, posted in Frankfurt on May 11. The Royal took third in last year’s final and will hope to make a similar jump to what he did from his sophomore campaign, when he finished 12th at the Euros.
AFNORTH senior Connor Luminarias’ ascent up the podium has been more methodical over his career, but he, too, is hoping to make that climb. The second-seeded Lion (16.09) took fifth his sophomore year and fourth last year.
The Bahrain contingent continues to look strong, with Owens entering Euros as the third seed (17.05) and Daniel Sobieralski as the fourth seed (17.16).
300 hurdles
Studer and Luminarias come into Euros as the top two seeds in another hurdler event, but Sigonella’s Rhys Martinsen is not too far behind.
The Royal senior will be looking to repeat a hurdles double, coming into the meet with a seed time of 42.10. The AFNORTH Lion, meanwhile, sits just 0.35 seconds back.
Martinsen, a Jaguar senior, advanced to the championships with a seed time of 44.52 seconds, posted at Vicenza on May 18.
4×100 relay
Four teams look set to blitz for this relay title.
SHAPE enters as the top seed at 44.32 seconds, followed by Kaiserslautern at 44.59. Stuttgart and Aviano have posted of 44.62 and 44.71, respectively.
4×400 relay
Stuttgart enters with the favorite tag with a seed time of 3:35.45.
SHAPE’s quartet isn’t far behind at 3:38.37. Ramstein (3:43.15), Kaiserslautern (3:43.17), Vilseck (3:44.16) and Hohenfels (3:44.79) will be looking to drop some time to contend as well.
4×800 relay
Just five teams managed to get under the 9-minute mark this spring, beginning with Ramstein at 8:44.90.
Vicenza could push the Royals for the title, entering with the second seed at 8:45.29. Stuttgart’s 8:49.92 is the third-fastest time in Europe this spring, while Hohenfels (8:50.65) and Wiesbaden (8:52.12) don’t sit too far off the pace.
Sprint-medley relay
Six teams could find themselves atop the podium when this race is run.
Stuttgart is the top seed at 3:49.24. But Aviano’s season-best time of 3:49.45 places the Saints agonizingly close.
Sigonella’s 3:50.14 is good enough for the third seed, Vicenza sits just behind the Jaguars at 3:50.61, Hohenfels showcases its strength in depth at 3:51.06 and Vilseck enters nearly two seconds back of the first seed at 3:51.31.
Shot put
Vicenza’s Joe Kelly has tossed his hat into the ring as a favorite after coming in ninth place in 2023. The junior’s top-seeded throw of 45 feet, 11 inches already is 7 feet better than his best throw at last year’s finale.
The 2023 runner-up, Jack Gruver of Stuttgart, won’t make it easy. The senior also has thrown better this spring, with his 45-8.25 mark from April 6 at Ansbach being 3 feet better than his silver-medal-winning toss last spring.
One year after taking 15th, Naples senior Devonte Washington has the third-farthest throw in DODEA-Europe at 44-9.
Discus
Gruver is going to be hard pressed to repeat as the discus champion this spring.
Last year’s silver medalist, Ramstein’s Javier Harrington, has launched himself into favorite contention. The Royal junior already has improved his throws by 26 inches from 127-11 to 154-1.
Gruver, who also has boosted his throws by 14 inches from last year, comes in as the second seed at 148-3.
Ansbach’s Michael Carbone is the third seed with a season-best toss of 121-3.
High jump
SHAPE senior Samson Tryon is the favorite to get a repeat title in 2024. The Spartan has leapt two inches higher than his previous championship-winning mark at 6 feet, 3 inches.
Stuttgart’s Kai Lewis and Tymir Johnson are the second and tied-for-third seeds at 6-1 and 5-11. Those two, along with Samson, cleared their season-best marks during an April 27 meet at Stuttgart.
Ansbach’s Greyson Strabala and Kaiserslautern’s Leo Schnell also got over the bar at 5-11, theirs coming on May 18 in Stuttgart.
Long jump
Stuttgart’s Guthrie also can spring himself forward in the long jump. The Panther sophomore, after coming in second last year, holds the top seed with a leap of 21-7.25, almost a foot better than his 2023 Euro mark.
Wiesbaden junior Zion Thompson is the second DODEA athlete to hit 20 feet this year. His season-best mark of 20-3 came April 6 in Ansbach.
Stuttgart’s Tyshawn Rusu (19-10), Ansbach’s Okenie Mclaughlin (19-9) and Baumholder’s Leo Kirkland (19-8.5) round out the top five.
Triple jump
Thompson could prove hard to beat, holding a nearly 3-foot advantage in the seeding. He popped off a 46-foot mark in Vilseck on May 4.
A pair of Vilseck seniors, Levi Jones and Jaylen Acron, will hope to push the Warrior jumper. Jones, who came in ninth last campaign, has a season-best total of 43-3, and Acron, who placed sixth in 2023, comes in at 41-5.5.
Kirkland sits in the fourth seed at 41-3.5.
Makiah Parker, a senior at Wiesbaden High School, takes the lead in the 4×100 meter relay’s last leg during the Ansbach Invitational track meet at Ansbach Middle High School, Germany, on Saturday, April 6, 2024. (Matthew M. Burke/Stars and Stripes)
GIRLS
100
The 100 is the first of three events Parker is trying to finish with a perfect high school record.
The Warrior star blasted past the DODEA-Europe record with an 11.71 dash on May 11, in Frankfurt, making her the clear favorite to take home the title again.
Sigonella’s Rickalia Goss has been nipping at Parker’s heels for years, and with a 11.85-second performance on May 11 in Naples, the junior will push Parker once again.
Stuttgart senior Anika Smith is the third seed at 12.35, while Wiesbaden’s Lana Winters enters the meet with a time of 12.50.
200
Goss might get the best of her “rival” in the 200, although like with the 100, this race will be exciting.
The Sigonella sprinter is the top seed with a time of 24.44, while Parker sits just 0.02 seconds behind. The duo recorded those times May 11.
Winters could give the Warriors a pair of top-three finishers in the race, as her 25.71 is the third-best time this spring.
400
The quarter-mile is the second DODEA-Europe record Parker has broken this spring, this time with a 56.16.
Goss again is her closest competitor at 58.49, and the Jaguar is the only other athlete to break a minute.
Vilseck’s Mazie Lorcher (1:00.85) and Gabrielle Shields (1:01.69), Rota’s Sophia Dickkut (1:01.25) and Kaiserslautern’s Ophelia Bryant (1:01.82) round out the automatic qualifiers.
800
With seven competitors seeded within three seconds and last year’s top seven gone, anyone could come out on top in this contest.
Kaiserslautern’s Katharina Storch has the fastest time thus far at 2:28.92, coming on May 18 at Stuttgart.
Lurcher (2:30.67), Sigonella’s Isabella Lyon (2:30.67), SHAPE’s Rhianna Bender (2:30.95), Ramstein freshman Idaly Lozano (2:31.11), Brussels’ Haley Mitchell (2:31.34) and Alconbury’s Evangeline Cumming (2:31.55) all have legitimate chances to stand atop the podium.
1,600
The top four from 2023 aren’t here this spring, and six athletes already have run a mile in less than 5:40.
It starts with Lyon’s best time of 5:35.27, followed by Hohenfels’ Jalissa Jobity at 5:37.38. Jobity’s twin, Malea, has the fourth-fasted time at 5:37.96, just behind SHAPE’s Rhianna Bender at 5:37.73.
The last two under that time are Ramstein runners – Iliana Echard (5:37.97) and Caroline Swinson (5:38.73).
3,200
Three runners are within eight seconds of each other in the 2-mile run.
Lyon has a three-second lead in the seeding at 12:19.45 posted during a May 18 competition at Vicenza. Ramstein’s Cecelia Thompson came second to Lyon at that Vicenza meet with a time of 12:22.47 and Stuttgart’s Sophie Templeton has a 12:25.20 so far this spring.
100 hurdles
Lellah Guhn is among the many happy hurdlers that Wiesbaden graduate Ava Stout no longer is here. The Kaiserslautern sophomore took second place in 2023, and she sits nearly a full second ahead of her nearest competitor with the top seed at 15.74.
Hohenfels’ Kenya Tucker has burst onto the scene to push Guhn. The Tiger sophomore qualified for Euros as the second seed with a time of 16.66 seconds.
Stuttgart’s Marnessa Rea (17.01), Spangdahlem’s Alanis Figueroa (17.32) and Wiesbaden’s Angelica Shea (17.38) enter just two seconds back of Guhn.
300 hurdles
Guhn may become the next DODEA hurdling star, as she holds the fastest seed time in the 300 hurdles by more than four seconds (47.27).
Her closest competition is fellow sophomore Isabella Porto out of Hohenfels at 51.47. Following her are Rea (51.75), Shea (51.79), Vilseck’s Kaitlyn Brewer (52.03) and American Overseas School of Rome’s Natalia DiMatteo (52.10), all within a second of each other.
4×100 relay
Wiesbaden’s squad has pulled away as the favorite by a second and a half after a regular-season best time of 48.65.
Stuttgart and Kaiserslautern trail with times of 50.09 and 50.22. Spangdahlem and AFNORTH lead a strong small-school contingent in the fourth (52.57) and sixth seeds (52.81), sandwiched around fifth-seeded Vilseck at 52.79.
4×400 relay
Wiesbaden’s squad is the lone team to run faster than 4:20 with a 4:19.33.
Looking to join that club and take the gold are Lakenheath at 4:22.15, Stuttgart at 4:24.49 and Kaiserslautern at 4:24.84.
4×800 relay
Ramstein is running well ahead of the rest of Europe at 10:41.36.
But times can drop easily in this race, meaning that favorite tag isn’t a given for the Royals.
Wiesbaden has posted a 10:50.21, Kaiserslautern a 10:51.04 and Stuttgart a 10:52.71.
Sprint-medley relay
Kaiserslautern is hoping its strength in depth will lead to the crown here. The Raiders have the top mark in Europe so far at 4:36.45.
Ramstein’s 4:38.21 is good enough for the second seed, while Division III teams Sigonella and Hohenfels keep pushing their bigger counterparts with times of 4:39.98 and 4:40.23, respectively.
Shot put
Elizabeth Agudzi-Addo’s sophomore year has seen plenty of highs in other sports, including a runner-up finish with the Ansbach basketball team, but the one thing missing is a championship.
She could take care of that in the shot put. Agudzi-Addo holds the best throw of the season thus far at 30-8.75.
Vilseck’s Nyley Benson and Kaiserslautern’s Amari Evans aren’t too far off, being the other two throwers to eclipse 30 feet. Both the Falcon and Raider sophomores are tied for the second seed at 30-4, with Benson hitting the mark in the last regular season meet on May 18 and Evans posting it on April 13.
Stuttgart’s Sophia Aybulut-Williams has come up less than two inches short of joining that trio of getting past 30 feet with a throw of 29-10.25.
Discus
Could Agudzi-Addo pull off the throwing double crown?
She’s seeded to do so. The Cougar sophomore has placed herself with the top mark in DODEA-Europe so far with a throw of 105-9 accomplished on April 20 at home.
Stuttgart’s Aybulut-Williams is the only other girl thrower to hit 100 feet with her toss of 100-8 in Kandern, Germany, on May 11.
The Kaiserslautern duo of senior Emma Arambula (96-4) and Evans (92-1) are the third and fourth seeds, respectively.
High jump
The event is expected to be hotly contested between Black Forest Academy’s Maddie Steiner and Ramstein’s Aydriel Chambers. The Falcon senior and Royal junior, the latter of whom took fourth at the 2023 Euro meet, sit at 5-1.
A trio of jumpers sit just inches behind the top two seeds. Ramstein’s Davis, AOSR’s DiMatteo and Kaiserslautern’s Ophelia Bryant have cleared 4-11.
Ansbach’s Eloisa McCaskill enters just one inch below at 4-10.
Long jump
One of the best chances for Goss to get that elusive European crown comes in the long jump. The Jaguar junior has the top seed at 17-6.5, one year after taking bronze in the event with a leap of 17-0.75.
Spangdahlem’s Jalisa Rivera will hope to give Goss a run for her money, qualifying in second at 16-7.75. Vilseck’s Gabrielle Shields (16-5), Lakenheath’s Analicia Dougals (16-0) and AFNORTH’s Noemi Suarez (16-0) are the remaining athletes to have cleared 16 feet.
Triple jump
Raider duo Zenobia Davis and Lillian Griffin lead the field in this event. Sophomore Davis has the top mark thus far at 35-9.5, while junior Griffin comes in at 33-2.
Porto enters with a third-best distance of 32-10, while Ramstein’s Davis (32-9.5), Raider Libbie Bergeron (32-8.75), BFA’s Steiner (32-8.5) and Spangdahlem’s Kelsey Drummond (32-6) trail.