Colby Huntress wins the boys' 800m event
Texas High School Indoor Championship 2026
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High School Boys' 800m, Finals 1
The boys' 800 meters at the Texas High School Indoor Championships delivered exactly what was expected from a field loaded with returning standouts from UIL, TAPPS, and SPC state championships last season. With so many proven middle-distance runners opening their 2026 campaigns on the same track, the result was an action-packed pair of heats that rewarded fitness, patience, and late-race execution in the season's first true test.
The fastest race of the night came from heat one, where Colby Huntress (Austin Anderson) once again showed why he is considered one of the most reliable 800-meter runners in the state. The UIL 5A runner-up from last season at the outdoor state championships entered as the 5A state cross country champion from this past fall.
Huntress established control early, splitting 27.29 at 200 and 57.80 through 400, before pressing the pace decisively over the third lap. He reached 600 meters in 1:27.88 and closed strongly to win in 1:55.77, the fastest time of the meet. Behind him, the battle for podium spots was tight, as Zachary Brumfield (1:56.53) and Jacob Vargas (1:56.71) stayed composed through the middle laps and finished aggressively. Jayden Washington followed close behind in 1:57.24, giving heat one four of the top five overall finishers.
Boys 800m - Split Comparison
Texas High School Indoor Championships
| Athlete | Place | 200m | 400m | 600m | Final Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colby Huntress | 1st | 27.29 | 57.80 | 1:27.88 | 1:55.77 |
| Chance Anderson | 2nd | 27.73 | 57.02 | 1:28.09 | 1:56.21 |
| Zachary Brumfield | 3rd | 27.63 | 58.45 | 1:28.53 | 1:56.53 |
| Jacob Vargas | 4th | 27.76 | 58.13 | 1:28.10 | 1:56.71 |
| Jayden Washington | 5th | 27.05 | 58.02 | 1:28.04 | 1:57.24 |
| John Fowler | 6th | 28.39 | 58.26 | 1:28.69 | 1:58.03 |
| Aden Saucedo | 7th | 28.25 | 58.42 | 1:29.04 | 1:58.34 |
| Matteo Pascucci | 8th | 27.33 | 58.44 | 1:29.29 | 1:58.49 |
| Stone Miller | 9th | 27.25 | 56.76 | 1:28.75 | 1:58.49 |
| Zedric Thomas | 10th | 27.31 | 57.67 | 1:28.89 | 1:58.55 |
While Huntress owned the night overall, Chance Anderson delivered a standout performance in heat two, winning his section in 1:56.21. Anderson's controlled early pace, 57.02 at 400, allowed him to surge late and secure second overall, marking one of the most impressive runs of the meet from an underclassman. John Fowler and Aden Saucedo followed with solid efforts under 1:59. At the same time, the depth of the race continued to show with multiple athletes separated by tenths of a second in the closing stages.
Across both heats, the race featured a wide range of strategies (which is to be expected in a race this early into the season): some athletes pushed early to establish position, while others relied on strength over the final 200 meters. In the end, the consistency of the top finishers stood out, with ten athletes breaking 1:59 and several more right on that barrier. For an indoor opener, the boys' 800 meters confirmed what many anticipated: Texas middle-distance racing enters 2026 with depth, experience, and momentum already in full stride.