Osborne hurdlers look for state medals
Darrien Holloway and Afftin Conway of Osborne High School are two of the top hurdlers in 1A
Darrien Holloway and Afftin Conway from Osborne are two of the state's top hurdlers. (Photos by Everett Royer, KSportsImages.com)
Darrien Holloway and Afftin Conway of Osborne High School have been sprinting with targets on their backs this season.
The target will only get larger at the state track and field meet this Friday at Cessna Stadium in Wichita.
Holloway, the defending 1A state champion in the 300 hurdles and the 110 hurdles, feels like the hurdler to beat, but he hasn’t let that affect his mindset.
“I definitely feel like people want to beat me really bad,” Holloway said. “I’m never really nervous for my races because I feel like I practice enough and get myself ready for the races that my mind is focused on beating whoever I race against.”
Last year, Holloway won the 110 hurdles with a time of 14.78 and the 300 hurdles with a time of 40.60. Holloway has shown no signs of slowing down since then, and is fresh off regional championships in Hill City last Friday in both events.
In fact, Holloway’s regional-championship time of 40.25 in the 300 hurdles was a personal record.
Holloway, only a junior, is only getting better.
“The thing I feel that separates me from most of the other people I’m competing against is I go up to the track and practice hurdles on the weekends,” Holloway said. “I take no days off unless something isn’t feeling right.”
What Holloway is for the boys team, Conway is for the girls.
Last year, Conway brought home four state medals in the 100-meter dash, the 300 hurdles, the 100 hurdles, and the 200. Conway is the defending 1A state champion in the 100-meter dash and 300 hurdles, the silver medalist in the 100 hurdles, and finished third in the 200.
Conway will get a chance to defend her title in the 100 after winning the Hill City regional with a time of 13.06. She will also be a state contender in the 100 hurdles after taking second at regionals with a time of 15.30.
There will be a new state champion in the 300 hurdles as Conway did not qualify for state in that event or the 200.
Regardless, Osborne is hoping to have two state-champion hurdlers on the podium at Cessna Stadium for the second straight year.