Something that is not done often happened in Lakeland High School’s trip to track and field state in Boise.
For the second consecutive year, Junior Ziya Munyer emerged from the tournament victorious, bringing back home some more hardware as a back-to-back state champion. Munyer has done well all season, winning five meets, which included districts and at state.
Munyer won state this year in the triple jump, jumping a 36’5.5, which was not better than last year’s number, but it still got the job done.
Winning a state championship in back-to-back years does not happen often at all. The dedication that an athlete has to have to go back-to-back is extremely high, and the work ethic it takes is beyond normal for athletes.
The preparation it takes going into any competitive event takes a lot.
“I am very glad that I won because this season was very rough for me, and I faced a lot of adversity, so I’m glad I peaked at the right time,” Munyer said.
Though Munyer thought she did not perform to the best of her abilities, Munyer is the only back-to-back champion in the triple jump in recent history.
“I have worked very hard all season to earn this, and I am gonna try my hardest to keep winning and just doing my thing,” Munyer said.
Munyer also took third place her freshman year in the triple jump, so for the third consecutive year she has placed at state for the triple jump, which is a phenomenal feat.
Kenna Simon, a 2023 graduate, was the last individual state champion for the girl’s high jump. Simon and Munyer are the only female athletes to win an individual event for jumping in recent history.
As a parent, seeing your kid achieve such great achievements is both exciting and just good to see.
“As a parent, seeing her grow is amazing to see your child grow and develop as a young lady,” Jacob Munyer said.
From the coaching aspect, Jacob Munyer has been coaching his daughter since she was a freshman all up to this point. From a coaching aspect, she has all the physical attributes for the event that I coach, but the fun part of it was the mental aspect.
Being able to talk to your kid as a coach and a father is a big advantage to have, so that was a big advantage that Munyer had this year.
“I just being able to talk to her as a coach and a father is such a privilege that I have been granted,” Jacob Munyer said.