The fastest hurdler ever: Wichita’s Adryana Shelby sets Kansas state meet record

Adryana Shelby was scared.

In pursuit of her first Class 6A title in the 100-meter hurdles, the Wichita Northwest senior was flying down the track at Cessna Stadium on Saturday morning. So fast that she was a “little scared.”

“I was going so fast, I didn’t want to hit a hurdle,” Shelby said. “But hey, it worked out in the end.”

It turned out, Shelby ran faster than anyone in the history of the Kansas high school track and field state meet in the girls 100 hurdles. Her time of 13.83 seconds shattered a 24-year-old 6A record by more than three-tenths of a second and was the fastest recorded in any class.

The time was just off her personal-best time of 13.66 seconds, which she ran earlier this season and stands as the second-fastest time in Kansas history.

Shelby, who is committed to run hurdles for New Mexico, is the two-time defending 6A champion in the 300 hurdles, but Saturday’s win was her first in the 100 hurdles. She had finished runner-up the past two years.

“I’m really proud of my whole high school experience,” Shelby said. “I feel great I can leave knowing I broke this record and I won a title. I’m just really happy. I still can’t stop smiling about it.”

While Shelby has proved capable of cracking 14 seconds on her own, she had help on Saturday with a strong push from Shawnee Mission South senior Aurora Wessel, who finished runner-up in a time of 13.88 — the second-fastest time in the history of the state meet.

Shelby held an early lead with a fast start, but Wessel grew stronger after each hurdle and nearly caught Shelby from behind over the final hurdle.

“I was just focused on the lean,” Shelby said. “I knew she was right beside me, so I had to get to the finish line first. I’m just so proud of myself and proud of my competitors. I think we did great.”