2025 UIL 2A Boys 1,600m
Marco Cunningham of Waco Meyer capped off a brilliant meet by claiming his second state title of the day, winning the 2025 UIL Boys 2A 1600 meters in commanding fashion. Coming into the race with a 4:16.82 seed time and fresh off his 3200-meter victory, Cunningham wasted no time asserting himself. He surged to the front right from the gun and never relinquished the lead, hitting 400 meters in 1:04.45 and 800 meters in 2:10.65. While the longstanding 1975 record ultimately stayed untouched, Cunningham's relentless pace and tactical execution left no doubt who owned the gold, crossing the line in 4:19.71.
Behind him, a tightly packed chase group fought for the remaining podium spots. Cristiano Tinoco, an impressive freshman from Bosqueville, held second for much of the race, but it was senior Zach Born from San Antonio Stacey who unleashed a strong final lap. Born surged down the homestretch, overtaking Tinoco to secure the silver in 4:28.08, while Tinoco claimed a well-earned bronze in 4:29.07. Matthew Schwandner of Brackettville Brackett and Christian Sanchez of Plains rounded out the top five in a competitive field. Cunningham, who will run collegiately at Johns Hopkins, not only captured another state crown but cemented his reputation as one of the finest distance runners in Texas small-school history.
