KAILUA-KONA — After Leann Hamilton came away with a laundry list of records at Paiea Stadium last weekend, she received a quick crash course in media relations from her coach, Brad Lachance.
It was just the basics, like always credit your teammates and coaches, be humble, talk about the team — some friendly reminders for the speedy sophomore, who will likely find her way into a few more headlines before her prep career is done.
Hamilton’s meet included a trio of first place finishes in the 800, 1,500 and 3,000 meter races, which helped lead the Waveriders to the girls team title at the event.
But not only did she win her events, she did so in commanding fashion, rewriting record books and putting her name in the conversation as not only one of the Big Island’s best, but also as a state contender.
Her personal record time of 2:21.47 in the 800 set a school and stadium record. It also ranks as the best time in the state so far by more than four seconds, with Punahou’s Kayla Almeida the closest at 2:25.73.
Hamilton’s time of 5:00.92 in the 1,500 was another school and personal record, and is currently the third fastest time in the event in the state.
Hamilton’s PR of 11:30.55 in the 3,000 came at the opening BIIF meet at Konawaena. However, her winning time of 12:11.54 bagged her the hat trick of first place finishes at Paiea, as she held off Hilo’s Venus Rodin, who clocked a PR of her own (12:17.70) in the event.
“It was pretty crazy. I went into the meet with goals, just ran really hard and came away with the school records,” Hamilton said. “When I finish the race, I don’t remember anything. I just focus on pushing through the pain.”
The Kealakehe girls edged Waiakea 101-99 for the team title at the event, and it had been a while since the Waveriders took the crown at a meet. The humble Hamilton was the catalyst, but she was quick to spread the credit, especially to teammate Heidi Andelfinger.
Andelfinger, also a sophomore, finished third in both the 800 and 3,000, while setting her own personal best mark in the 1,500, finishing only behind Hamilton.
“Since I’ve been here, we’ve never won a meet. It was exciting,” Hamilton said. “It really wasn’t just me though. We had a lot of people that performed great.”
As for her personal growth, Hamilton is obviously a year older and more experienced, which has helped her leave her previous best times in the dust. But what she credits for the improvement is just some good old fashion hard work.
“This summer was really the difference,” Hamilton said. “I woke up at 5:30 a.m. every morning and I ran. That really helped me, and I paddled. It was a lot of cardio.”
Having a mentor who knows her situation has also helped. Hamilton has been training with former Kealakehe speedster Kelii Dorn, who now runs for Embry-Riddle at the college level. It was Dorn’s school record that Hamilton broke in the 1,500.
“She has helped me a lot and was actually at that race when I broke the record,” Hamilton said. “It was cool that she was able to watch it.”
More records fall
Kamehameha sophomore Chenoa Frederick and Konawaena senior Austin Ewing also set stadium records, with Frederick soaring 37 feet, 7 inches in the triple jump, easily the best in the state this season by more than 2 feet.
Frederick is also the record-holder in the triple at Keaau High, where she leaped 39-08 last May to set a state championship mark. The 37-7 bested the Paiea mark set by Kealakehe’s Nicole Cristobal at the 2016 BIIF finals.
More known for his work in football and basketball, Ewing swept the 100- and 200-meter dashes for the second consecutive week, and his PR of 22.17 in the 200 this season ranks only behind the 22.14 Seabury Hall’s Isaiah Payne ran Saturday on Maui. Ewing lowered the Paiea record previously held by Waiakea’s Isaiah DeSilva (22.10, in 2015).
Frederick won three other events Saturday with efforts that either rank her first or second in the state in 2018. She claimed the 100 — edging teammate Saydee Aganus by five one-hundredths of a second — 200 and long jump, where her PR of 17-8 is a state-best.
Not the be outdone, Aganus continued to dominate in the hurdles with another sweep.
Other notable performances:
• Konawaena’s Hauoli Akau won the 400 in 51.18, third-best in the state, and he also claimed the long jump for the second consecutive week.
• Waiakea’s Eric Cabais-Fernandez reached 14-1 in the pole vault, a PR that is second-best in Hawaii. Hilo’s Christian Ellis is third (14-0 on March 10 at Konawaena).
• Kamehameha’s Taylor-James Sullivan’s winning toss of 122-7 in the discus was a PR and the second-longest in the state.
• Hilo’s Kovee Rivera also ranks second in the state after claiming the triple jump with a PR of 42-6.
• Kealakehe’s Justyce Kahunahana-Simms swept the hurdles with a pair PRs (15.69, 110; 41.95, 300).
The Hawaii Tribune-Herald contributed to this report.
