Story by Ray Conner
The Kern Valley boys track team finished up their season as they competed at the CIF Division 4 Championships. They would come in 12th place as a team.
Six team members took their shot at qualifying for the CIF Masters Championships. The highest individual finisher for the Broncs was Daniel Hinkey in the 100m hurdles. He ran the race in a time of 16.88 to take fourth. Kyle Espinoza-Denys took fifth in the long jump. He leaped 19’ 8.25” to set a PR. Espinoza-Denys was also part of the 4x 100m relay team that was sixth. Their combined time for the relay was 45.40 which was also a PR. The other runners of the group were Hinkey, Tristan Beckham, and Jack Montgomery.
Two Kern Valley athletes placed ninth in their events. Montgomery in the high jump (5’ 6”) and Hinkey in the 300m hurdles. Baden Mota set a PR in the 1600m race. His time was 4:55.92.
Espinoza-Denys and Aiden Rapp were first in the unified 100m race. Their combined time was 27.61. Espinoza-Denys ran his race in 11.97, while Rapp’s time was 15.64.
According to Kern Valley head coach Sabine Mixon, “At CIF they offer three categories – Varsity, Ambulatory, and Unified. Ambulatory are those who are physically disabled. According to the website, “Unified Track and Field is a special Olympic event that seeks to promote social inclusion by pairing athletes of similar ability in the same competition. Athletes with intellectual disabilities are paired up with those without them (known as “partners”) for the various events including sprints, relays, middle-distance races, long jump, high jump, javelin throw and shot put. The idea behind unified track is that it doesn’t matter if you have a disability; everyone has something unique about them that makes them special. Participants can work together towards common goals whilst forming meaningful relationships along the way.”
