With so many variables, it’s never easy. But we’ll give it our best shot predicting who we feel will be some of our top track & field athletes this outdoor season. Here we feature the boys’ sprinting events, which includes the 100m, 200m and 400m
100m
Gone from last year’s State Meet is individual champion and multiple all-stater Jared Gibbons of La Salle Academy. Coming back, are the next five finishers. There could be a lot of familiar faces among our top runners this spring. Returning this season are four that broke 11 seconds in 2023 – Bishop Hendricken’s Xavier Wilkens (10.82), Central’s Elijah Gardea (10.88), Hendricken’s Nathan Rivas (10.98) and Cranston West’s Alonso Parker-Sharpe (10.99). Gardea, who came short of making it to the podium at last year’s states, will have increased confidence after winning the 55m title this past winter. Parker Sharpe, who was a runner-up to Gardea, is also coming off a strong indoor campaign.
200m
Just like years past, we expect this race to be a close one at the State Meet in early June. Wilkens is the defending state champion and the only runner among all returnees to break 22 seconds last year, clocking an all-time best of 21.93 at the Hendricken Invitational. A bunch more were in the low-to-md 22-second range, such as Parker Sharpe (22.27), Westerly’s Christian DeJour (22.34), Barrington’s Lain DeBoth (22.40), Central’s Gabriel Dosummu (22.40), Gardea (22.47) and the Hawks’ Rivas (22.48).
400m
This is an event that could certainly get competitive this spring with a number of athletes breaking 50 seconds. Returning this season are two that hit that milestone – Hendricken’s Jacob Coates (49.78) and defending titlist Elias Sposato (49.97) of Chariho. Sposato is the early favorite. He was the 300m champion this past winter and ran an indoor PR of 50.51 for the 400m at the Boston Holiday Challenge. Westerly’s Robbie Wade (50.52), La Salle’s Garrett Giroux-Pezzullo (50.79), and Barrington’s Ethan Knight (50.87) are among others that should fare well in this event and could be sub-50 by season’s end.
