PHOTO CREDIT: DAVID NGUYEN
TWO STATE CHAMPIONS EXTEND THEIR REACH
The start of May brought fresh marks to the Ohio leaderboards, and the names at the top are increasingly familiar.
Brooke Chapman (Olentangy Orange, 2026) is the reigning OHSAA Division 1 state champion in the 1600m, and she is making the case that she belongs at the front of the longer distance conversation outdoors too. Her 3200m of 10:17.74 at the Carmel HS Distance Showcase on Apr 24 leads Ohio and ranks 45th nationally. In addition to that. new PR - which bettered the 10:28.94 she ran at the Wayne Invitational last spring - she also ran 4:59.45 in the 1600m at the Wayne Invitational on Apr 30 and 2:17.55 in the 800m on Apr 27.
Sophia Szolosi (Athens, 2026) won the OHSAA Division 2 cross country, 1600m, and 3200m state titles last school year. But she's proving she's more than a long distance specialist after opening her outdoor 800m campaign with 2:11.44 at the OVRC Invite on Apr 30. That PR improved on her outdoor best of 2:12.79, and Szolosi now leads Ohio in the event.
On the boys side, the story is Dom Ellis (St. Xavier, 2026). His 8:54.94 3200m at the Eastern Relays was a nice PR, taking nearly six seconds off his previous best of 9:00.60 from the OHSAA Division 1 State Championships last June. He leads Ohio in the 3200m and also holds the state lead in the mile at 4:10.09 - both from the Eastern Relays. Though less frequently raced, his 3000m of 8:22.58 at the Penn Relays on Apr 23-25 still sits fourth in the country.
Ryne Reynolds (Little Miami, 2027) leads the state in the 5000m at 14:59.96 from the Northmont Invitational on Apr 4 - 11th nationally in the 5K. Barack James (Oregon Clay, 2028) ran 13.79 in the 110H at the Saline Golden Triangle on May 1 - a PR, bettering the 13.85 he ran a week earlier at the Bulldog Invite -- to lead Ohio at 41st nationally. He has not lost in the event all spring. Elijah Harris (Westerville Central, 2026) opened his outdoor triple jump with 50-1 at the Wayne Invitational leading Ohio and ranking 18th nationally.
On the girls side, Giulia Sironi (SPIRE Academy, 2026) leads Ohio in the triple jump at 39-0.5 from the North East Invitational on May 2, ranking 119th nationally. The Newton Indian Twilight on May 1 produced both state leaders in the 1500m race walk - Micah Sagers (Newton Local, 2028) on the boys side at 8:26.47 and Presley Black (Brookville, 2029) on the girls side at 9:38.61.
PHOTO CREDIT: DAVID NGUYEN
TWO STATE CHAMPIONS EXTEND THEIR REACH
The start of May brought fresh marks to the Ohio leaderboards, and the names at the top are increasingly familiar.
Brooke Chapman (Olentangy Orange, 2026) is the reigning OHSAA Division 1 state champion in the 1600m, and she is making the case that she belongs at the front of the longer distance conversation outdoors too. Her 3200m of 10:17.74 at the Carmel HS Distance Showcase on Apr 24 leads Ohio and ranks 45th nationally. In addition to that. new PR - which bettered the 10:28.94 she ran at the Wayne Invitational last spring - she also ran 4:59.45 in the 1600m at the Wayne Invitational on Apr 30 and 2:17.55 in the 800m on Apr 27.
Sophia Szolosi (Athens, 2026) won the OHSAA Division 2 cross country, 1600m, and 3200m state titles last school year. But she's proving she's more than a long distance specialist after opening her outdoor 800m campaign with 2:11.44 at the OVRC Invite on Apr 30. That PR improved on her outdoor best of 2:12.79, and Szolosi now leads Ohio in the event.
