KUDOS | SWHS junior named state athlete of the week

By Evan Thompson • April 5, 2017 10:00 am
Evan Thompson / The Record — South Whidbey junior Sophia Nielsen was recently named a state “Athlete of the Week” by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association for her achievements in track and field.
Evan Thompson / The Record — South Whidbey junior Sophia Nielsen was recently named a state “Athlete of the Week” by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association for her achievements in track and field.

Sophia Nielsen, a junior at South Whidbey High School, was recently selected as one of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s “Athletes of the Week” for her achievements in track and field.

Nielsen won all four of her events against Archbishop Murphy at a meet on March 23 with top 10 marks in the class 1A rankings. She won the long jump (16 feet, five inches), triple jump (34 feet), 100-meter hurdles (16.72 seconds) and the 300-meter hurdles (50.88).

Her mark in long jump is currently ranked first in 1A, a quarter of an inch ahead of senior Payton Lunde of Meridian, while she is ranked in the top 10 in 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles and the triple jump.

In recognition of the accomplishment, each athlete of the week winner receives a congratulatory letter from WIAA Executive Director, Mike Colbrese, a commemorative WIAA state athlete of the week t-shirt and a certificate. Winners are also posted to the WIAA website at www.wiaa.com.