For the first time in more than three decades, Park Hill has a state champion triple jumper.
Sophomore standout Nikyah Chappell became the triple jump champion after earning a state medal in the 400-meter run at the MSHSAA Class 5 State Championships on March 30 in Jefferson City.
Park Hill sophomore Nikyah Chappell used a jump of 11.78 meters in the final round to become a state champion triple jumper.
“I’m just really excited,” Chappell said. “I’m very grateful and happy. Our program has had very good jumpers, so to win this is really cool.”
Chappell was among the three sophomore girls from Park Hill who landed top-three state medals in field events, with Amaya Akinmoladun and Elliott Harris also representing the Trojans ladies on the podium.
The state title for Chappell ended a 31-year drought since Deirdre Fortman won three straight triple jump titles in 1993, 1994 and 1995. The sophomore also became the girls’ first state champion since 2021, when Caleia Johnson won the 400.
After a long weekend, which included several weather delays, Chappell finally entered the pit as the top seed, hoping to win her first state championship in triple jump. She finished with a fourth-place medal as a freshman in 2025.
It was more than just hope. It was also an expectation after winning all six triple jump competitions throughout the spring.
“It definitely was a lot more nerve-wracking,” Chappell said. “Overall, I think that helped me compete harder and push myself to want to do better.”
After scratching her first attempt, Chappell landed at 11.53 meters, securing a top-two spot. Her third attempt landed at 11.41, from which she had to dig even deeper with Francis Howell’s Amelia Ward leading with two marks of 11.60 entering the final round.
Nikyah Chappell lands after a second-round leap of 11.53 meters in the triple jump on May 30 in Jefferson City.
Then came Chappell’s winning jump. A leap of 11.78 meters.
It was an attempt no one else could compete with, as Ward’s final attempt landed at 11.55 to finish runner-up. Chappell had officially completed the quadruple sweep by winning conference, district, sectional and state triple jump titles.
“I think it’s exciting,” Chappell said. “After finishing fourth last year, as a freshman getting fourth, I was really happy. But this year, to get first, I am very proud of myself and how far I’ve come so far.”
Nikyah Chappell won the first heat of the 400-meter run in 56.19 seconds, earning a third-place medal.
Chappell’s triple jump effort came after she felt some fatigue from her first career 400-yard state medal with a new PR time of 56.19 seconds. Seeded No. 9 in the event, Chappell comfortably won the event’s opening heat before finding out she had a top-three state medal after the second heat crossed the finish line.
Akinmoladun won Park Hill’s first state medal of the weekend in discus, setting a new school record in the process. The sophomore laid down an early marker of 39.88 on May 29 before weather delayed proceedings until the following day, a mark that shattered LaShunda Tapp’s previous school record of 38.57, which was set in 2019.
Amaya Akinmoladun finished as the state runner-up in discus, setting a new school record on May 29 with a throw of 39.88 meters.
“I felt like I needed to get a good PR and a mark quick because I knew that weather would play a factor later,” Akinmoladun said. She added that there were some sprinkles coming down, but chalk assisted in securing a firm grip.
Ladue’s Sabra Fink ran away with the discus title with five throws over 40 meters. Akinmoladun, who won conference and sectional discus titles, finished as state runner-up with her first throw in her state debut holding off the rest of the field.
“I thought it was really good, especially the first day,” Akinmoladun said. “The second day I didn’t do as well, but I’m happy with my PR.”
Harris capped the girls’ standout sophomore performers with a third-place medal during her state debut in shot put. Her state-medal toss came in the third round, when she hit 12.50 meters after hitting 11.68 in the second round.
Elliott Harris used a third-round toss of 12.50 meters to leave Jefferson City with a third-place shot put medal.
Only Megan Bruce of Helias Catholic (13.12) and Sasha Redding of Cardinal Ritter (12.82) finished ahead of Harris. Harris concluded her sophomore season with conference and district shot put titles before a third-place medal at state.
Park Hill junior Mandia Bock, who won conference and district javelin titles, also made her state debut, marking 38.29 meters with her final toss to finish 12th. Gabrielle Allen was the girls’ final sophomore competitor, placing fifth in a tight opening heat of 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.75 seconds, finishing 13th overall.
The Trojan boys were led by their 4x200 relay team, which finished with a seventh-place medal.
DJ Bronson takes the baton from Andrew Minder to begin the third leg of Park Hill’s 4×200 relay, which earned a seventh-place medal with a time of 1:28.31.
The quartet of Braeden Wilburn, Andrew Minder, DJ Bronson and Sheldon Smith finished fifth in the second heat of the 4x200 with a time of 1:28.31. Park Hill finished seventh overall to earn a state medal while Lee’s Summit West took first with a new state record of 1:23.32.
Park Hill’s 4x100 team of Wilburn, Damariyn Ford, Damari Johnson and Smith narrowly missed out on a state medal. They finished sixth in the second heat in 42.31 seconds, missing a spot on the podium to Ritenour by four-tenths of a second.
The boys’ season concluded with Malakot Middleton-Lewis in the high jump. After clearing the first two rounds, which included up to 1.85 meters, the sophomore was unable to clear 1.90 meters as he tied for 10th in his state debut after winning conference and sectional titles.