Hamilton, MI. – On a cooler afternoon in Western Michigan, Hamilton High School once again hosted the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s Division 2 track and field state championships. The adaptive division of the competitors was abundant, the most there has ever been, and they came from all over the state. This was the most competitors there have been in Division 2 since they started allowing them to compete.
In 2022, the MHSAA began allowing adaptive athletes to compete in a pilot program for wheelchair athletes, and in 2024, the program became permanent, allowing others with disabilities to compete in the 100, 200, and 400-meter races and in shotput. Unfortunately, they still don’t achieve any points in the competitions for their respective teams, but hopefully that will change in the very near future.
In the adaptive divisions for the boys this year, it was Michael Oliver of Clarenceville winning the shot put with a throw of 26′, 6″. Charlie Parini of Grand Rapids West Catholic with a throw of 11′ 2.25″, while Charlie Nolph of Owosso finished with a throw of 10′ 3″.
In the girls’ shotput, there was only one competitor, Sophomore Vivian Massey of Sturgis, who threw for 13′ 3.75″. She also competed last year in Division 1.
In the boys’ races in the 100 meters, it was Oliver finishing first with a time of 15.08, while Ethan Nearpass from Dowagiac Union took second place with a personal record (pr) time of 24.84. Third place finisher was Parini getting his pr with a time of 34.55, while freshman Gabriel Dixon from Lake Odessa Lakewood went neck to neck with Owosso’s Nolph, finishing just .08 seconds ahead of him with a time of 1:04.60.
For the girls’ 100-meter race, it was Senior from Coldwater Bri Barle, finishing with a time of 31.46. She competed last year, and she also competed in the 200 this year, finishing with a great time of 1:04.51.
For the boys’ 200-meter race, it was Oliver finishing first with a 30.86 pr time, followed by Nearpass, who finished with a 51.72 time, while Nolph finished third with a time of 2:16.68.
It was great to see so many great athletes out there competing, and here’s hoping to see more in the future!
