CTS 2021 Men’s T&F Athletes of the Year

Colorado Track Stats has decided to break down the non-former Colorado High School T&F athletes into four categories for the CTS T&F athlete of the year.  This might not be taken well with some, but I think it is very fair and interesting. The four categories are as followed:

As opposed to the other CTS athlete of the year list where you had to be formally from a Colorado High School, this list is only made up from the CTS College/Universities and Soil lists.

The first is athletes that are US citizens that did not go to a Colorado College/Universities.  Marks of course came from the CTS Soil List.

The second is athletes that are US citizens that did go to a Colorado College/Universities and also could have been on the CTS Soil List as well.

The third is athletes that did go to a Colorado College/University that are non-US citizen and also could appear on the CTS Soil List.

The fourth is athletes that appear only on the CTS Soil List that are non-US citizens.

The Top-3 (first section)

1. Turner Washington, after becoming only the second man to throw over 70′ in the Shot Put on the CTS Soil List (70-3 3/4) indoors in 2021, went on a NCAA terror.  He Won the NCAA Indoor (70-1) and Outdoor Shot-Put titles (69-2 3/4).  He also won the NCAA Discus Title as well (208-1).  He had bests in the Shot in 2021 of 71-8 1/4 and the Discus of 217-5!!  He is only 22 years old, what are we to expect in 2022??
2. Micah Williams, after missing the CTS 60 Meters Soil Record with a 6.49, went on to win the NCAA Indoor 60 in 6.49.  The speed demon went on to get 5th in the 100 Meters at the Olympic Trials in a fast 9.91 (+0.8w), which put him on the 4×100 Meter Relay pool for the USA Olympic Team.  He is just 20 years old!!
3. Isaac Grimes had a very good 2021!  Back when he was jumping for Chadron State, he moved to #11 on the CTS Soil List (26-1).  He transferred to Florida State and has been one of the best long jumpers in the US ever since.  He was second in 2021 at the Indoor NCAA Nationals with a 27-4 3/4 leap, the 3rd best mark in the World Indoors in 2021!  He was also second in the NCAA Outdoor Nationals (26-5) +0.4w.  He just missed getting to the Olympics by placing 5th at 26-6 1/2 +0.2w.

Others that received votes: no particular order

Zach Mcwhorter, Pole Vault

Brendan Ames, 110 Meter Hurdles

Hillary Bor, Steeple

Emmanuel Bor, 5000 Meters, 10000 Meters

Trip Hurt, 1500 Meters, Mile

Jeff Thies, 1500 Meters, Mile, 5000 Meters

Kirubel Erassa, 5000 Meters

Girma Mecheso, 5000 Meters, 10000 Meters

Frank Lara, 5000 Meters, 10000 Meters

Audie Wyatt, Pole Vault

Gaston Bouchereau, 60 Meters, 100 Meters

Brendon Stewart, 60 Meters

Jamar Marshall, 60 Meter Hurdles, 110 Meter Hurdles

Kentre Patterson, 60 Meter Hurdles, 110 Meter Hurdles

The Top-3 (second section)

1. Joe Klecker runs for On Athletics Club and coached by former Olympian and CU Buff great Dathan Ritzenhein.  After graduation from Colorado University, Joe has been tearing up the track.  Klecker holds the CTS Mile #2 Soil mark (3:58.6), and many other CTS Soil and College/ Universities Lists marks.  Joe ran 28:14.18 in the Olympic Games 10000 Meters finishing 16th.  That time was actually his slowest of the year, as he ran 27:.23.44 earlier in the year for his fastest.  He had PRs in four other events 3:37.00 in the 1500 Meters, 7:39.18 3000 Meters, 8:11.55 2-Mile, and 13:06.67 5000 Meters.  Can not wait to see what he does in 2022.
2. Kyle Pater, former Air Force Academy great and is the #1 CTS Soil List maker in the Pole Vault at 19-1.  He was 10th at the Olympic Trials at 18-8 1/4 but had a season best at 19-0 1/2!  He did no worse than 18-0 1/2 in many meets in 2021 earning his #2 ranking here.
3. Michael Rhodes, another former Air Force Academy Grad and a middle-distance ace, plus school record holder in the 800 Meters, indoors and outdoors.  He is #4 on the CTS College/Universities 800 Meters list (1:46.58).  He ran a 1:47.39 at the Olympic Trials in the semi but did not advance to the final.  Earlier in the year he ran a fast 1:45.22, which was the 8th fastest time by an American in 2021.

Others that received votes: no particular order

Derek Holdsworth, 800 Meters

Sydney Gidabuday, Mile, 3000 Meters, 5000 Meters

Luke Julian, Mile, 3000 Meters, 5000 Meters

Ethan Harris, High Jump

Dylan Bell, Pole Vault

Jonah Vigil, 60 Meters, 100 Meters, 200 Meters, 400 Meters

John Dressel, 5000 Meters, 10000 Meters

Justin Jenks, Shot Put

Jamiel Trimble, 200 Meters

Sam Gilman, 1500Meters, 5000 Meters

Eduardo Herrera, 1500 Meters, 5000 Meters

The Top-3 (third section)

1. Mostafa Hassan, who sets #1 for the CTS College/University Shot Put list (69-11) while at Colorado State University, had a good year placing 8th at the Olympic Games with a 68-0 1/4 for Egypt.  In Qualifying he had a 69-8.
2. Peter Ackah, While at CU Colorado Springs leaped to #4 on the CTS College/University list at 25-5 1/4.  Ackah won the Rocky Mountain Conference Indoor Championships in 2021 (24-5 1/2).  He is from Ghana and his 25-5 1/4 was the best jump for his country in 2021.
3. Welre Olivier, Triple Jumping for Northern Colorado University in 2021 moved to #7 (51-11 3/4) on the CTS College/University list.  He also won the Big Sky Conference Indoor title in 2021 (51-2 1/4).  The 51-11 3/4 was the best jump for his native country of New Zealand in 2021.

Others that received votes: no particular order

Ian Kerr, 100 Meters, 200 Meters, 400 Meters

Liam Mather, 60 Meter Hurdles

Ronald Sayles, 200 Meters, 400 Meters

The Top-3 (forth section)

1. Oliver Hoare runs for On Athletics Club and coached by former Olympian and CU Buff great Dathan Ritzenhein.  What a 2021-year Oliver had!  Oliver in 2020 set the CTS Colorado Soil record in the Mile (3:56.8) and has been an international track force ever since.  In 2021 Oliver set an Australian indoor 1500 Meter National Record (3:32.35).  He finished 11th at the Olympic Games in the 1500 (3:35.79), and before and from there he ran many fast 1500’s.  He had an outdoor 1500 PR in 3:32.66 and a fast 5000 Meters 13:22.16.  Even thou ran in December, and it started his 2022 season, he ran another Australian Indoor National Record in the 5000 Meters (13:09.96), WOW!  Wait till outdoors to see how fast he can go.

2.Morgan McDonald runs for On Athletics Club and coached by former Olympian and CU Buff great Dathan Ritzenhein.  After running the 6th fastest CTS Colorado Mile in 2020 (4:02.07), like his fellow countrymen Oliver Hoare, he has been on an international track terror as well.  He had a big range in 2021 from 3000 Meters thru 10000 Meters.  With bests of 7:41.55 3000 Meters, 2-Mile 8:14.92 an Australian Indoor Record, 5000 Meters 13:13.67, and a fast 10000 Meters in 27:58.75.  He was also a 2021 Olympian, running 13:37.36 5000 Meters in the heats.  At 25 years old he is just getting started!

3. Xavier Nairne, ran 6.65 in the 60 Meters to place #25 on the CTS Soil list running for Oregon U. and Jamaica.

Well, if I missed something please let me know.  Click on these athletes’ names to see more about them.

GOD Bless and have a great T&F 2022 season!!