Four Spartan Track and Field Athletes Finish Strong at USTAF Nationals 2024

NEW YORK, NY – Sparta Recreation Track and Field athletes battled the heat in the 2024 USTAF National Youth Outdoor Championships at Icahn Stadium and finished strong.

Three boys competed at the 9/10 level and in U8.

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Rafferty Hopkins, competed on all four days in U8 -400 meters, 800 m and Long Jump. Taking 10 seconds off his time in the finals, he finished the 800 in 2.46.16 for second place All American and broke the Lakeland League record by 5 seconds.  On the last day Hopkins took third overall in the 400m for a two-time All-American finish.

“He was delighted with his finish,” Coach Audrey Hopkins said.

Izaac Bagley competed in the 800-meter, 1500 m and long jump.  He missed a top 8 podium position by 0.3 seconds in both races.

“He made sure to podium in the Long Jump,” with a seventh place finish, Hopkins said.  His jump was 3.92M.

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Liam Zapata finished 11th in the Long Jump with a personal best of 3.58. He took 21 in the 800m and 17 in the 400m.

Ryan Zapata also established a personal best in the 1500 m with a time of 5.46.41, placing 17th.

The coaches were Tom Zapata, Brett Bagley and Audrey Hopkins. The boys had qualified for a trip to Nationals after a good performance in the 2024 USTAF NJ Youth Outdoor Championships.

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