Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – Keegan Decker admitted her didn’t get the finish he was seeking in his debut race at the 2026 state track and field meet on Thursday.

While Decker wasn’t satisfied with his placing in the 4A 3,200 on Thursday it was difficult for the Liberty High junior standout to find any disappointment in his time.

Decker clocked the fifth fastest 3,200 time in state history on Thursday running a 8:51.61 in a fourth-place finish in a historically fast 4A race on an overcast morning at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.

“I am pretty happy with it, obviously the time is pretty great but I was really looking for a win today,” Decker said. “I wanted a win but the time is great so I’ll move one.”

Bettendorf senior AJ Willey and Cedar Rapids Kennedy senior Slader Buckheister each broke the all-time record of 8:50.43 set by Thomas Pollard of Gilbert in 2014.

Willey used a late surge to win in a time of 8:49.65 and Buckheister was runner-up in 8:49.97.

Sioux City North sophomore Kuma Gutema finished third in a time of 8:51.39.

Decker was right on their heels finishing fourth in 8:51.61 which was nearly eight seconds faster than his previous career best of 9:59.49 set earlier this season.

“I’m not a thrilled as I probably should be mainly because I have kind of known that I have the fitness for this so the main goal was just to come out and compete,” Decker said. “The time is solid but it would have been great to come away with a win.”

The fourth-place finish is the best state finish in any event for Decker who earned his first state medal with a fifth-place finish in the 1,600 last season.

It was also just the start of what will be a busy week for Decker at Drake Stadium.

Decker is set to compete in the 1,600 and 800 on Saturday and will anchor the Lightning distance medley relay team on Friday.

“It kind of just fuels the fire,” Decker said. “I have three more events this weekend so I am just going to take the day to recover and then get after it the rest of the weekend.”

Junior Victor Nakihinga joined Decker as Liberty High athletes to pick up medals on Thursday.

Nakihinga earned a medal in the 4A high jump for the second consecutive season clearing 6-3 to finish eighth.

Nakihinga was sixth in the high jump last season.

Class 4A State Track and Field Meet

At Drake Stadium in Des Moines

Boys Results

Team scores (Top 10; area teams) – 1. Bettendorf 21; 2. Cedar Falls 19; 3. Cedar Rapids Kennedy 14; 4. Indianola 12; 5. West Des Moines Valley 11; 5. Waukee Northwest 11; 7. Waukee 10; 7. Southeast Polk 10; 7. Norwalk 10; 10. Cedar Rapids Prairie 9; 13. Liberty High 6; 18. West High 4; 26. City High 1

Individual results (Event winner; area competitors)

400 – 1. Kaiden Kunze (Norwalk) 47.8; 20. Keyshun Fletcher (Liberty High) 51.94

3,200 – 1. AJ Willey (Bettendorf) 9:49.65; 4. Keegan Decker (Liberty High) 8:51.61; 21. Michael Hanna (West High) 9:42.32; 22. Lars Hildebrand (Liberty High) 9:42.5

4×800 – 1. Cedar Falls 7:39.97; 13. City High (Emmett Palmberg, Andrew Hamilton, Maxwell McDowell, Jarris Prottsman) 8:02.99; 16. West High (Lars Pressler, Mohamed Musa, Thomas Tong, Zachariah Bruzek) 8:09.48

Discus – 1. Reece Whinery (Southeast Polk) 183-3; 8. Raph Etuma (City High) 162-2; 15. Colin Whitters (West High) 153-5; 20. Preston Mensah (City High) 134-9

High jump – 1. Ajak Malual (Waukee) 6-7; 5. Mason Middleton (West High) 6-3; 8. Victor Nakihinga (Liberty High) 6-3; 10. Adams Kane (City High) 6-1; 18. Abe Bidanis (City High) 5-11; 18. Carter Spark (West High) 5-11

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