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Winning even one state championship in high school is very special for any athlete, and winning it twice on the same day makes it twice as sweet.
That’s exactly what American Leila Boltzmann did at the Division 4 state championships in Hudsonville on Saturday. Her winning time of 12.84 in the 100 meters was 0.15 seconds faster than the runner-up, and her time of 25.88 in the 200 meters was 0.42 seconds faster than the runner-up.
“Winning two state championships makes it twice as fulfilling,” Boltzman said. “I’m thrilled that we were able to win both. I knew we were seeded pretty high and we had some fast girls. Our regular season times weren’t that great, but I’m happy that we managed to hold on and compete at the highest level that we can.”
Boltzman had high expectations for himself all season and believed he could win both state championships.
“I prepared for this,” she said. “I trained in the offseason, practiced when I could, and ran great times. I thought this was possible, and I did it.”
Boltzmann also thanked his coaching staff for a great season and his competitors for a great game. U.S. coach Mike Peters said it was a great day for Boltzmann. It may have been an unexpected day for Boltzmann, but it was definitely one he wanted.
“To be a state champion in the 100 and 200 meters as a sophomore, or at any age, is something special,” he said. “Coming into this meet we had one main focus with her – starts. We knew she had the speed to win, especially in the 200, but she needed to get better and get better starts. So that was our focus heading into the meet.”
“I think our sprint coach, Jared Lang, made some tweaks to her starts that really paid off,” Peter added. “Something must have clicked because she ended up on the top of the podium. That’s no coincidence. What’s even more impressive is that between prelims, finals and relays, Layla ran in the state finals six times, which is no easy feat, but Layla is a committed athlete and I expect nothing less from her.”
Peter added that the team already has a list of things for Boltzmann to work on for next season that will help her improve her times and overall performance.
“She really loves the sport and it shows,” he said.
Boltzman will now look to take her talents to the softball field and help the Patriots win their fifth consecutive Division 4 state championship.
“I think we have to give it our all,” she said. “We are more than capable of winning regionals and going beyond that. I hope we play well and everyone plays with a good mindset. We want to reach our full potential.”
The Patriots’ regional softball game is scheduled for Saturday, June 8. Complete results from the Division 3 and Division 4 state track and field championships will be posted in an upcoming article.
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