TOPEKA — State titles are the goal for many individual athletes this season from the Topeka-area. From distance running and sprinting to field events, the capital city is full of top-tier athletes who can compete for championships in May.
Here are the top track and field athletes from Shawnee County to watch for this season.
Brody Anderson, Seaman
One of the top distance runners in the state, the junior is coming off a strong cross country season where he took ninth place in the Class 5A State Championship. Anderson won the 1600-meter run with a 4:29.71 in last week's Topeka West Invitational.
Payton Berry-Briggs, Shawnee Heights
The senior sprinter put together a strong season last year where he finished third in Class 5A's 200-meter dash with a time of 22.27.
Ella Bolan, Silver Lake
The volleyball and basketball stand-out is primed for a big spring. The senior won the Class 3A 4x400-meter relay state title last season.
Draden Chooncharoen, Washburn Rural
The junior was a part of the Junior Blues' 4x400-meter dash relay team that won the Class 6A State Championship with a 3:19.56. A stand-out soccer player for Washburn Rural, Chooncharoen had a personal record of 51.38 in the 400-meter dash in last year's Centennial League Championship.
Bryce Cochran, Seaman
The senior was a part of the 4x100-meter relay team that took second in the Class 5A State Championship. Last year, Cochran was one of the top sprinters in the city as he shined in the 200-meter and 400-meter dash along with the triple jump.
Torin Culbertson, Rossville
The junior distance runner competed in last fall's cross country state championship. He's started this year's track season strong with a sixth-place finish in the 800 and 1600-meter run in last week's Wabaunsee Invite.
Rylee Dick, Rossville
The multi-sport athlete is coming off of a strong freshman season. She's also started 2025 well with a second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles in last week's Wabaunsee Invite.
Payton Fink, Washburn Rural
The senior is signed to run at Kansas State next year and is coming off of a strong cross country season. Fink took fifth place in last fall's Class 6A State Championship. Last spring, she earned fifth place in the 3200-meter run and seventh place in the 1600-meter run in the state meet.
Ali Gerber, Silver Lake
The sophomore helped ...
