LAKEWOOD — Addyson Smith spent 365 days fixated on making up a hundredth of a second.
That was the difference in last year’s Class 5A girls 100-meter dash final, where — 11.75 seconds to Smith’s 11.76.
On Saturday morning at Jeffco Stadium, the Fossil Ridge senior made good on her promise to finish her prep career as Colorado’s fastest female, surging past Welling and the seven other runners on the track. She was uncatchable once she hit top speed, breaking away in the final 20 meters to . Welling took second in 11.78, while Denver South senior Mariame Marico was third in 12:03.
“That really pushed me and motivated me,” Smith said after being swarmed by teammates in the finish area. “Every day when I wanted to just lie in my bed, I was like, ‘No, this is the goal.’ And I kept my mind on it. And all of my family and my friends were there to support me through it. Just being able to come out and get my goal, itap been so relieving and exciting.”
, with Smith winning in 23.81 and Welling taking the silver in 24.13.
Welling, a junior who also beat Smith in the 200 last year, will get another crack at both titles in 2027. But she said she’ll miss the friendly rivalry she shared with Smith, who is committed to running at Oregon State next year.
“I’m really sad this is the last time I get to race her,” Welling said. “I love racing her because I feel like when we race, either one of us can get it, and I love that. Obviously, I’m sad for not getting the win. But I can’t be mad about it, because she ran insane times today … Itap bittersweet that this is the last time.”
Smith would have faced a tighter . She was just 3 hundredths faster than Sierra senior Suraiya Payne, who won the 4A crown in 11:63 ahead of Holy Family senior Claire Tannehill in 11.64.
After falling short of her goals last year, Smith said she had to learn not to rush to become faster. It sounds counterintuitive, but she had the ideal coach to help her.
Fossil Ridge is led by , who still holds the record for the fastest 100-meter dash ever run in Colorado. When Bozmans clocked 10.27 at an April meet during his senior year in 2012, it was a time that no other high school sprinter in the country beat that year.
Bozmans went on to race at TCU, where he was a three-time All-American in relay events despite being hampered by an array of injuries.
Seeing Smith run down the same titles as he did on Saturday, Bozmans said nervous anticipation quickly gave way to joy.
“I see how hard she works. And oftentimes she reminds me a lot of myself,” he said. “Just the way she runs and that effort. You don’t see it too often here, but when we go to practice, she’s about her business.”
That business included scrutinizing every aspect of Smith’s form and her approach. A long strider, Smith said she had to learn “not to rush things and fully go through the process of acceleration.”
“Just with my build, itap always been the beginning of the race that I’m either right there or just a little bit behind,” she said. “I’m not the strongest, and I don’t have the biggest build when it comes to explosiveness, but definitely, top-end speed is what helps me.”
“When Addy gets up and going, there’s nobody else that can run with her,” Bozmans said. “Itap like, we just have to get there. And once we get there, we’ve just gotta hold onto it.”
Smith also competes in the long jump and took fourth in this year’s final. The 100 has been her best event in high school, but with her long legs, she said the 200 could become her signature event in college. Bozmans hopes she continues to run relay legs as well.
As for who would win a foot race between Colorado’s fastest female and the coach who held that title among the state’s fastest boys 14 years ago?
“I think I’d still get her,” Bozmans said. “But itap getting more interesting — thatap for sure.”
Roxy’s perfect run
Cheyenne Wells’ Roxy Unruh was smiling and crying after setting a new 1A record in the 200 with a time of 25.58. For Unruh, the race marked her final sprint in a four-year run during which she never lost in either the 100- or 200-meter final at state.
“Itap unreal,” said Unruh, an 11-time state champion who will run next year at the Colorado School of Mines. “I just started running track because I love the people, and these girls, they’re the reason I come out for track every year, to see these guys and run with them every year. Getting to win is just a bonus.”
