Posted: May 19, 2022
Chabot College sprinter Zharia Dixon's focus was squarely the State Championships after an impressive performance at the Northern California Community College Track and Field Championships on Friday at Chabot.
The Dublin High graduate won the women's 100 meters and placed second in the 200 to advance in two events to the California Community College Championships on May 20-21 at Mt. San Antonio College. She is one of eight individuals and one relay team from Chabot that qualified Friday for that elite meet.
In the 100, Dixon won with a time of 12.21 seconds. Diablo Valley's Ariane Nelson was second (12.26). Chabot's Masina Mayo was also third (12.32).
"I just was like 'It's my race, I have to execute my own race and not worry about anybody around me,'" Dixon said. "I've always needed extra work on my start, but now I know what I need to execute and just keep practicing."
In the 200, Dixon placed second in 25.22 despite having to run near the outside of the track in Lane 8. The top placers in sprint races usually are in lanes 3-6. Nelson, in lane 6, placed first in 25.11
Dixon said that she thinks she has run in lane 8 "once, as a kid."
"I'm pretty proud of myself for just pushing through and just taking the cards I was dealt with and making lemonade out of it all," she said.
Chabot coach Kyle Robinson gave Dixon high praise.
"At this point, championship season is all about competing and trying to get titles, and she did that," Robinson said. "She did a great job."
Chabot's Andie Aymond finished tied for third in the women's pole vault and will advance to the state championships. The James Logan graduate opened by soaring over 3.15 meters (10 feet, four inches) on her first attempt before missing her three attempts at 3.30 meters (10-10).
In the women's 800, Chabot's Ariana Chavez continued her outstanding postseason run by placing fourth in a huge personal record of 2:20.56. The San Leandro High graduate placed herself in the top four with 400 meters remaining, moved into third with 300 to go and eventually nabbed the final state qualifying spot in the event.
Entering this season, Chavez's personal record in the event was 2:25, which she ran as a high school sophomore. She produced a time of 2:22.08 at the Northern California Trials on May 6.
"I feel super excited. … The state (A) time is what I've been working for all season, so I'm just really happy that I came in fourth" said Chavez, referring to the state automatic qualifying time of 2:20.80. "I was just trying to stay with the front pack."
Chabot's Angie Paglieri placed seventh in the women's 3,000 steeplechase (12:58.21), but she has an A standard time of 12:11.92 achieved earlier this season. One of the competitors who finished ahead of her does not have an A standard time this season, so Paglieri advances to the state championships.
Giovanna Duley was solid in the women's 100 and 200, taking fifth in 12.60 and fourth in 25.61, respectively.
Chabot's women's team finished eighth overall with a score of 45.50; the men's team was 10th overall with 43.50 points. Hartnell won the women's team title with 135 points and American River was the men's champion (102).