2026 UIL Track and Field State Championships
The UIL 1A Boys 4x100-meter relay delivered one of the closest finishes of the meet, as three teams battled down the homestretch separated by less than two-tenths of a second. Coming into the finals, the squad from Hamlin High School held the fastest qualifying mark at 42.99 and looked poised to challenge the standing state-meet record of 42.80 set by Paducah in 2023. Confidence was high across the field, with several teams believing they had the speed to dip into the low-42 range if the exchanges were clean.
The race opened with an explosive start as the stagger quickly disappeared in lanes 2, 6, and 7, the lanes many expected to contend for the title. Lamesa Klondike High School impressed early with one of the smoothest first exchanges in the field, while another sharp handoff during the second exchange helped Strawn in lane 3 surge briefly into the lead. The baton movement across the track was outstanding overall, with several teams executing exchanges at full speed and keeping momentum alive throughout the race.