PIAA Track Championships: Lelis clears two rare hurdles
"For a WPIAL athlete, this was the rarest of double takes.
Emily Lelis, a sophomore at Springdale High School, won PIAA championships in the Class AA 100- and 300-meter hurdles Saturday at Shippensburg University. She is the first girl from the WPIAL to win both hurdles championships in any classification since the PIAA added the 300 hurdles in 1982.
So, in 31 years of PIAA championships, there never has been a WPIAL hurdler like Lelis. She is the second hurdles champion in her family. But her older brother, Tyler, won only a WPIAL title in 2009.
"Actually, he helps me with all my training," Lelis said. "He's really my coach. I started training with him the summer before my ninth-grade year, and it has helped."
Lelis won the 100 hurdles with a time of 14.78 seconds and the 300 in 44.48 seconds. She was the only athlete from the WPIAL to win two individual events in the two-day meet."
track