LIHUE — Jayden DeSouza of Island School broke the one-minute mark in the girls 400 meter dash, and Wailea Edwards of Kauai High School leaped through the wind and rain to beyond the existing Kauai Interscholastic Federation record in the girls high jump Thursday during the 74th Kauai Rotary Meet at Vidinha Stadium.
With the KIF qualifiers and championships looming on Thursday, and Friday, respectively, DeSouza pocketed two qualifying time standards, crossing the 400 meter dash line on a run of 59.82 seconds over the challenge from Kauai High School’s Mia Takekuma who crossed at 1 minute, 2.88 seconds, a state qualifying time standard.
DeSouza went on to pick up a state time in the 800 meter run (2:32.17). Takekuma finished with two state qualifying events as well as participated in the Kauai High School Girls 4 x 100 meter relay team that also picked up a state standard with its first finish.
On the field, Kauai’s Waileia Edwards turned heads as she broke through the chill of inclement weather to leap beyond the five-foot mark in the girls high jump, surpassing the 5-feet, 2.75-inch mark established by her coach Jamie Jiminez.
“This doesn’t count,” Jiminez said. “She needs to do this at KIF champs to make it count. We’ll see if she’s up to the challenge.”
Overall, the KIF student-athletes piled up 17 state qualifying standards, the females getting a dozen marks and the boys finishing with five standards, led by Kauai High School’s Micah Carvalho who topped the boys long jump (20-00.00) and the boys triple jump (41-09.25).
The KIF qualifying meet opens Thursday from 4:30 p.m. at Vidinha Stadium.
The KIF track and field championships will have an admission fee assessed when it opens Friday, starting at 4:30 p.m. at Vidinha Stadium.
This adjusts the KIF boys volleyball games schedule where Waimea will host Kapaa, Saturday at the Clem Gomes Gym. The junior varsity match will serve up starting at 5 p.m. followed by the varsity contest.
Island School will be hosting its prom Saturday, moving its game with Kauai High School to April 22 at the Kauai High School gym with a single varsity match starting at 6:30 p.m.
Qualifiers Girls: Mia Takekuma (Kau-100 meter dash) 12.89, Jayden DeSouza (IS-400 meter dash) 59.82, Mia Takekuma (Kau-400 meter dash) 1:02.88, Jayden DeSouza (IS-800 meter run) 2:32.17,
Taelyn Nunes (Kap-100 meter hurdles) 16.82, Kauai Girls A 4 x 100 Relay (Mia Takekuma, Jenna Takeuchi, Kaleonahe Bukoski, Waileia Edwards) 52.25, Waileia Edwards (Kau-high jump) 5-03.00, Jaliyah Casem (Kap-high jump) 4-08.00, Jenna Takeuchi (Kau-long jump) 17-01.00, Kaleonahe Bukoski (Kau-long jump) 16-06.50, Waileia Edwards (Kau-long jump) 16-03.00, Gheymee Perreira (Wai-shot put) 33.00.00.
Qualifiers Boys: Jai Alapai (Kap-100 meter dash) 11.28, Joshua Graves (IS-400 meter dash) 53.10, Joseph Hedstrom (Wai-110 meter hurdles) 16.56, Micah Carvalho (Kau-long jump) 20.00.00, Micah Carvalho (Kau-triple jump) 41-09.25.