Makiah Parker, a senior at Wiesbaden High School, crosses the finish line with a commanding lead to win the girls 400-meter dash at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – Wiesbaden phenom Makiah Parker ended her DODEA-Europe athletic career the same way she began: Wearing four gold medals that jangled as she stepped down from the podium one last time.
The senior went undefeated Friday on the final day of the European track and field championships, winning the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes, and anchoring the Warriors’ winning 1,600 relay team.
Oh, and she set a new European record in the 400. Actually, she obliterated the old one. Parker’s time of 55.96 seconds broke the previous best mark of 57.28, set in 2018 at Europeans by Kaiserslautern’s Jada Branch.
Parker didn’t know she had the record until the feat was announced from the press box a few minutes after the race was over.
“I couldn’t really tell, I was just tired,” she said. “It was definitely an exhilarating moment hearing ‘the record that was held by Jada Branch ….,’” she said. “I thought, ‘wait, I broke it?’ When I heard ‘55’, I was really happy.”
Before a full stadium at Kaiserslautern High School, Parker sprinted out to a lead quickly in the 400, her long stride combined with quick turnover – a recipe for record-breaking speed. She also showed how strong she is, maintaining her form and an even pace through the painful, lactic-acid-inducing home stretch. The first three runners behind Parker all ran personal records, too; and two broke the 60-second mark. Sigonella’s Rickalia Goss, who’s been chasing Parker all season, ran a blistering 57.60, and Kaiserslautern’s Ophelia Bryant clocked 59.90 for third.
“I think it’s the hardest race, but it’s also my favorite,” Parker said of the 400.
Getting the record “was definitely a proud moment,” she said. “My dad was over there timing. Every time I heard him clocking my splits, it motivates me to keep going.”
Parker went undefeated at Europeans since her freshman year. After Friday’s events, her tally stands at 15 gold medals, she said. She also was named the meet’s Most Outstanding female athlete in running events.
Parker plans to run the 100, 200 and 400 for Bakersfield State, where she received a full-ride scholarship for the Division I athletic program.
“This isn’t it for me,” she said.
Teams from Wiesbaden and Kaiserslautern exchange the baton during the girls 4x800 meter varsity relay at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
The starting field of the girls 4x800 meter relay begins their race at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. Ramstein’s team, consisting of Iliana Echard, Caroline Swinson, Mara Sylvander, and Idaly Lozano, won the race. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Boys 100-meter varsity dash runners Tymir Johnson, Alex Guthrie, and Daniel Greer walk after the race at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. Guthrie won with a time of 10.92 seconds, and Johnson ran a personal record of 11.38 seconds. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
AFNORTH’s Connor Luminarias celebrates as he crosses the finish line, with Ramstein’s Vincent Studer close behind, during the boys 110 meter hurdles race at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. Both athletes achieved personal records, with Luminarias winning the race with 15.52 seconds. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
From right, Lellah Guhn of Kaiserslautern leaps over a hurdle to win the girls 100 meter hurdles at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024, while Kenya Tucker of Hohenfels follows closely. Angelica Shea of Wiesbaden and Isabella Segalla of Stuttgart are also pictured. Guhn and Tucker set personal records with times of 15.38 and 16.28 seconds, respectively. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Sladen Hager of the Sigonella Jaguars launches his shot put at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. The 9th-year student secured 13th place out of 15 with a throw of 10.35 meters. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart’s Johann Maldonado-Santiago throws the shot put at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024, achieving a personal record of 12.22 meters. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Garrett Hyten of Vilseck High competes in the shot put at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024, finishing fifth with a throw of 12.27 meters. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Leo Kirkland soars to a personal record of 6.29 meters during the boys long jump at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024, earning fourth place. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
While Parker has her sights set on new horizons, others are just starting to hit their stride.
Stuttgart’s Alex Guthrie was determined to earn a gold medal in the 100, a year after running a 11.17 and losing by .02 seconds to Kaiserslautern’s Brelan Barnes in the 2023 as a freshman.
Guthrie turned the tables and then some. He won gold on Friday, beating Barnes, a senior, by a more comfortable margin, 10.92 to 11.14.
“I’ve been waiting a year for this. Last year, he got me,” he said of Barnes, after the 100. “My goal was just to take home a gold medal. I got my first one.”
Guthrie ended up with three on the day. He ran a personal record 22.54 in the 200 to edge teammate Daniel Greer and he also won the long jump. His mark of 21 feet, 4.5 inches was 2 inches farther than fellow Panther, Tyshawn Rusu.
Guthrie was named the Most Outstanding male athlete for running and helped lead Stuttgart to a dominating win in the boys’ Division I team results. The Panthers scored 144 points, toppling Ramstein with 69 points, and Wiesbaden’s 58.
Hohenfels’ Joel Idowu rests on the ground after his team finished second to last in the boys 4x400 meter relay finals at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Runners compete in the boys 4x400 meter relay at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Samson Tryon clears the bar, securing second place with a jump of 1.85 meters during the boys high jump at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart Panther Kai Lewis clears the bar during the boys high jump at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. He secured first place with a jump of 1.85 meters. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Vicenza teammates exchange the baton during the girls 4x400 meter relay at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. Vicenza finished last with a time of 4:34.36. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Aisha Sangau leads ahead of Kaiserslautern’s Katharina Storch during the girls 4x400 meter relay finals at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. Wiesbaden triumphed over Kaiserslautern with a time of 4:06.72 to 4:16.29. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart brought 44 competitors to the meet, head track and field coach Ian Wingfield said. “We took a lot of time, breaking down each race,” and placing each athlete in the event they had the best chance of scoring or exceling in, he said.
For Division I girls, Kaiserslautern dominated at its home stadium, taking the team title with 133 points. Wiesbaden was second with 93 points, followed by Stuttgart’s 89.5.
In other team scoring, Rota finished first in Division II girls with 16 points, followed by Black Forest Academy with 15.5 and American Overseas School in Rome with nine points. Aviano was tops in boys’ Division II with 50 points, followed by Bahrain with 25 and Vicenza with 21. In Division III girls, it was Sigonella with 58, Hohenfels 32 and Spangdahlem 22; AFNORTH had 40 points in the boys’ team scoring, followed by Hohenfels with 25 and Ansbach 19.
The Raiders have a new coaching staff this year, including former Wiesbaden coach Alexis Green, who works with the sprinters.
“It’s definitely been an awesome transition to move from one school to another, especially being such big rivalries,” she said of the Warriors.
Three Raiders scored in the triple jump: Sophomore Zenobia Davis, who was named the Most Outstanding female athlete in field events, won with a season-best 35 feet, 9.75 inches. Senior Libbie Bergeron, who said she’s fought through injuries for three years, joined Davis on the podium with a personal best, 35 feet, .5 inches. Kaiserslautern junior Lillian Griffin also had a personal best for fifth.
Wiesbaden junior Zion Thompson was named the Most Outstanding male athlete for field events. Thompson was third Friday in the long jump a day after winning the triple jump.
Athletes who stood atop the podium more than once included AFNORTH’s Connor Luminarias. The senior won both the 110 and 300 hurdles, edging out Ramstein’s Vincent Studer in each race. Last year, Luminarias didn’t even place in the top three in either event.
Instead of worrying about running a certain time, “I just relaxed and worried about winning the race and just kind of having fun – but having fun with attitude,” he said.
Like Luminarias, Aviano’s Zach Taylor also won his first gold this year. A year after finishing behind Kaiserslautern’s Brandon Seyler in the 800, Taylor ran a personal record 2:00.10 in the two-lap sprint. Ramstein junior Spencer Jackson passed Taylor in the last 100 meters but Taylor roared back to beat him by just over a second. Taylor also anchored Aviano’s winning sprint-medley relay.
Sigonella’s Isabella Lyon earned a second title Friday in the 3,200, a day after winning the 1,600. Lyon and fellow freshman, Cecelia Thompson of Ramstein, ran nearly the entire eight laps together, with Lyon drafting off Thompson most of the race before kicking it in to the finish. Lyon’s 12:04.69 and Thompson’s 12:05.1 were personal records.
Wiesbaden junior Luke Jones also doubled in the distance events. He followed up his title Thursday in the 3,200 with a winning time of 4:26.44 in the 1,600 on Friday.
Sigonella’s Isabella Lyon crosses the finish line just ahead of Ramstein’s Cecelia Thompson in the Girls 3,200-meter run at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern’s Alexandra Beck collapses after finishing 10th in the girls 3,200-meter run at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein’s Cecelia Thompson pushes past Sigonella’s Isabella Lyon during the girls 3,200 meter varsity run at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. The intense race concluded with Lyon narrowly winning with a time of 12:04.69, just 0.32 seconds ahead of Thompson’s 12:05.01. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Sigonella’s Isabella Lyon leads the pack during the girls 3,200-meter varsity run at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. She set a personal record of 12:04.69 to win the race. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Kaiserslautern’s Katharina Storch, at right, waits to receive the baton from her teammate during the girls 1,600 meter sprint medley finals at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. Kaiserslautern won with a time of 4:26.85. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart’s Alex Guthrie surges over the finish line to win the boys 200-meter finals, followed closely by teammate Daniel Greer, at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. Both athletes achieved personal records, with Guthrie at 22.54 seconds and Greer at 23.03 seconds. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Makiah Parker rejoices with her Wiesbaden teammate Lana Winters after winning the girls 200-meter dash finals at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. Parker ran 24.51 seconds, while Winters finished third with 25.60 seconds. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
The closest race of the day was the boys’ 400, where Bahrain’s Drue Britton leaned at the last minute to win in a photo finish in 50.39, compared to SHAPE’s Tudor Varvari’s 50.43.
A pair of throwers tossed personal records en route to gold medals. In the discus, Ansbach sophomore Elizabeth Agudzi-Addo’s mark of 110 feet, 7 inches, also set the Ansbach school record, she said.
A day after finishing second in the discus, Stuttgart senior Jack Gruver won his first gold in the shot put with a toss of 46 feet, 11 inches, more than 4 feet farther than runner-up Ethan Jenkins of Lakenheath.
“I had a pretty disappointing day yesterday,” he said. “I had to make up for it.”
One of the biggest surprises of the day went down at the high jump. Stuttgart freshman Kai Lewis and SHAPE senior Samson Tryon, the defending champion, both jumped 6 feet, one inch. But the title went to Lewis because he had fewer misses at the height.
“I’m slightly disappointed,” Tryon said, noting he’s eclipsed the bar at 6-3 twice this year. “I know I could have done better, but I’m really proud of my competitor. He’s a freshman. It’s incredible he was able to reach that high.”
Among the winning relay teams were the Ramstein girls in the 3,200. Sophomores Mara Sylvander and Caroline Swinson and freshman Ilian Echard and Idaly Lozano ran a season best 10:13.65 to edge Kaiserslautern by just over five seconds.
Kaiserslautern’s Trinity Seaberry, Mihret Spence, Olivia Seelbinder and Katharine Storch were champs in the girls’ sprint-medley relay.
Kaiserslautern’s Channing Skaradzinski, Josh Kim, Noah Perez and Barnes won the boys’ 1,600 relay.
Stuttgart won the girls’ 400 relay, while SHAPE was victorious in the boys’ race.
Aviano’s Zach Taylor celebrates his victory in the boys varsity 800-meter run at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. The junior set a personal record of 2:00.10, with Ramstein’s Spencer Jackson finishing second at 2:01.22. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
AFNORTH’s Richele Reyes comforts Kaiserslautern’s sophomore Lellah Guhn after she was disqualified during the girls 300-meter hurdles at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Marnessa Rea of Stuttgart clears a hurdle during the girls 300-meter hurdles at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024, followed by teammate Madeleine Alberico and Ramstein’s Madeline Moga. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart’s Anika Smith, left, embraces her teammate after their relay team’s victory with a time of 49.37 seconds at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Stuttgart’s Anika Smith leads the field during the girls 4x100 meter relay finals at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein’s Tyrell Downs runs alongside a teammate during the boys 1,600 meter varsity race at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024. Downs achieved a personal record of 4:49.01. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Wiesbaden’s Luke Jones leads the pack during the boys 1,600 meter varsity run at the 2024 DODEA European Championships at Kaiserslautern High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on May 24, 2024, finishing with a time of 4:26.44. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
