Flag High Diné runners gearing up for division championships

By Quentin Jodie
Navajo Times

WINSLOW – The Flagstaff track team has a bevy of athletes headed to the Arizona Interscholastic Association Division III state meet.

The AIA Division III state meet is being held at Deer Valley High School in Glendale, Arizona May 9-10. Of the Flag High qualifiers, two of them are Diné runners: Elijah Talkalai and Taylor Biggambler.

Talkalai is scheduled to compete in the 800-, 1600 and 3200-meter races. Biggambler is also qualified in those same events with her best chance of medaling coming in the 1600 and 3200 races.

“My goal is to try and win the division in the 1600 and 3200,” Biggambler said while acknowledging she is one of the favorites to do so in the two distance running events.

In the 3200, Gambler has the second-best recorded time in her division with an 11:07.95 effort, as she trails Eagle teammate Olivia Baker (11:03.09) in the two-mile race. The two Flagstaff runners hit those PRs at the Scottsdale Distance Classic on Apr. 5.

“It’s really fun having someone that is on your team, racing with you, and someone that is closer to your time because at practice they really push you.” Biggambler said.

In the 1600, Biggambler ran a 5:16.05 at the 85th Annual Chandler Rotary Invitational on Mar. 21, which is third best in Division III. Mica Mountain sophomore Hailey Burke leads the state at 5:10.28.

The Flagstaff junior recorded a 2:25.26 in the 800 race during the Mingus Invitational on Apr. 17, which is 11th best in the state. Prescott senior Violet Williams leads the state at 2:16.09.

At her recent meet, Biggambler placed second in the 1600 as she turned in a time of 5:22.62 during Friday’s Winslow Invitational.

“I was hoping for a 5:15, something close to my PR,” Biggambler said. “But I came down with a cold just two days ago, so I’m getting over that.”

She finished behind meet champion Janessa Segay of Chinle, who ran a 5:17.85 while her teammate, Baker, placed third at 5:24.38.

“It’s so fun when you run against a competitive runner like Janessa, you just get into that competitive mindset,” Biggambler said. “You feel like you’re running faster. It’s awesome that Janessa is up there. She’s one of the top runners and that’s amazing.”

At the Winslow meet, Biggambler also placed fourth as she completed the two-lap race in 2:26.78. She trailed meet winner Damira Allen (2:23.33) of Ganado, Segay (2:24.21) and Snowflake’s Kolea Szydlo (2:24.78).

Talkalai also earned some high marks at the Winslow meet as he won the 400-meter dash in 51.53 seconds, as he edged out Show Low’s Dallin Adams by a mere two-tenths of a second with Adams clocking in at 51.73.

“I came through as hard as I could for the first 200 because I’m a distance runner, so I can handle that,” Talkalai said. “And then that last 200, I felt like he had me because he was on my shoulder but then I guess he started to fall off his form and that is when I kicked it in and I got him at the line.”

Talkalai also ran a leg in the 4×400 race as Flagstaff took first at 3:29.30. In the 1600, he placed third with a time of 4:27.13, finishing behind teammate Alex Bland (4:19.74) and Greyhills Academy senior Benjamin Mierra (4:20.96).

And although he’s battled injury throughout the track season, Talkalai is seeded seventh in the 3200 at 9:39.98, eighth in the 1600 at 4:26.63 and 17th in the 800 at 1:59.90 in his division.

“I’ve had an Achilles injury and it’s messed up with my workouts, so I haven’t had any big races yet because I missed most of the major meets,” Talkalai said. “But my sprints have been a lot better. I don’t know why, but it’s getting better.”

For the upcoming division state meet, the Flagstaff junior is looking to improve his PRs.

“For my 800, I’m hoping to drop to 1:55,” he said, while noting that he wants to shave off 12 seconds from his 1600 and 10 seconds from his 3200.

“I’m really wanting it to do that this year,” he said.

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