Zuni sprinter sets new school records at district meet

By Quentin Jodie | May 8, 2025 | Sports |

By Quentin Jodie
Navajo Times

KIRTLAND, N.M. – Emilie Zunie displayed her competitive side at Saturday’s District 1-3A meet.

The Zuni track star captured gold in four events as she won the 100, 200, 400, and long jump events.

Zunie posted times of 12.89 seconds in the 100, 26.20 in the 200 and 61.60 in the 400. In the long jump she leaped 15-feet, 4.5 inches.

With those top finishes, she is headed to the New Mexico Class 3A state meet with a full plate on her schedule.

“It’s a lot,” Zunie said “Honestly, I have set a lot of expectations for myself, but I just want to go out there and have fun. Obviously, I want to win because I put in a lot of work during the offseason, but more than anything I just want to make myself proud.”

According to Athletic.net, Zunie is the current school record holder in the three sprints. She set two of those records on Saturday with her blazing time of 12.89 in the 100 and 26.20 in the 200.

In 2023, she set the 400 record when she posted a 61.64 effort as a freshman at the state meet. Her cousin, Gayle Zunie, was the previous record holder in all three events.

“It’s crazy,” Zunie said of having her named etched in the school record books. “You know, I broke the 400 record at such a young age. I put my name out there and I know a lot of people look up to me, and I’m proud of that.”

Zunie credits competing against bigger schools for reestablishing those school records.

“Competing with bigger schools, I get nervous, but when the gun goes off, I just compete,” she said. “I know that I can compete with them, and I proved that this season. I think it better prepared me for state.”

In addition to Zunie, the T-Birds are expecting some positive things coming out of senior Jazmine Lasiloo. At the district meet, Lasiloo won the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 18.85. She placed second in the 200 at 28.70 behind Zunie. She also earned a fourth-place finish in the triple jump with a 25-09 effort.

Of the four events, Lasiloo eked out the 100 hurdles by outkicking Navajo Prep’s Lailah McGary with Lasiloo winning in 18.85 while McGary clocking in at 18.86.

“I was kind of scared running against her, but I knew that I could do it because we were running back-and-forth throughout the season,” Lasiloo said of McGary. “She got ahead of me, but my coaches and teammates were yelling at me, and I could see that she was one step ahead of me, so I had to run faster in between the hurdles.”

Last season, Lasiloo podiumed at the state meet with a fourth-place finish in the 100 hurdles when she clocked in at 19.13 in the finals.

“This year, I want to push myself to run faster than 18 flat,” Lasiloo said. “I’m getting there, but I just have to stay consistent in my hurdles.”