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JEFFERSON CITY – Nerinx Hall’s Peyton Chaney took down two of the most vaulted state records on Saturday, but her smile remained dampened. Despite eclipsing the 100-meter and 200-meter times of former Olympian Muna Lee, Chaney will not sit atop the record book. Hazelwood East senior Tianna Valentine was just a step ahead of Chaney in the two sprints and earned the victory in both to set the new marks for the Class 4 state meet. Valentine, who will run for Kansas next year, has been focused on the record for awhile. Her record time of 11.51 also cements her return invite to the Adidas Grand Prix’s Dream 100. “That’s all I’ve been thinking about all week, ‘Get the record, get the record, get the record,’” Valentine said. “When I saw (Muna Lee) last year in New York I told her, ‘I’m going to get your record.’ She said, ‘Ok fine. Go get it,’ because she had it for so long.” Chaney’s 11.59 also dipped below the Lee record of 11.66, which was set in 1999 when she was running for Kansas City Central. “I was in New York too and saw Muna Lee, and knowing she’s out there running pro and we just broke her record, it’s like hey, we’re on to bigger and better things too,” Chaney said. Both girls now have the qualifying time to return to the Dream 100 where Valentine finished fourth (11.96) last year.
Valentine came back later in the day and rewrote Lee’s 200-meter record with a 23.71. “I felt like if I didn’t put it in (another gear), one of us has to win, so I had to give it that second gear,” Valentine said. “Me and Peyton are constantly pushing each other. We both broke the record, so it’s cool.” Chaney just missed hitting the finish line first in the 200, crossing in 23.74 – .03 seconds behind Valentine. The two have become friendly rivals over the past few track seasons, and Chaney could still smile at her accomplishments. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t heart-broken, because I am a little bit, but I’m excited about my time,” Chaney said. “I haven’t touched anywhere near 23 all season, and knowing that I just killed that, I’m excited.” The duo not only beat Lee’s Class 4 record time, but they snuck under Berkeley’s Alishea Usery’s all-class record of 23.78. Chaney also took third in the 400 (57.43). She was able to climb atop the medal podium as the second leg on the winning 400-meter relay. Chaney took the baton and left the field behind to set up the squad for a time of 47.47 and first place. “That was just awesome,” said Chaney, who will run at the University of Virginia next year. “We set me second leg because we made it the longest leg. I just took off. If someone was near me I tried to catch them.” The competition between the two may not be as frequent in the future with them running in different conferences, but there’s a good chance they will see each other on the track again at some point. That reunion will likely serve to push them to new heights again. “It’s been wonderful competition,” Chaney said. “We push each other.” Valentine said, “When I see Peyton beside me I know it’s time to go.”
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