Marcinek Defends Class A State Title

Liz Marcinek, competes in the girls 100 meter dash at the Class A State track meet Saturday at the University of Kentucky.

Being from a small school like Burgin, Lady Bulldog Liz Marcinek is used to being overlooked as a competitor, but after winning her second consecutive Class A State Championship in the long jump event, she’s showing that small can still be powerful.

“I can’t even thank enough people, I want to thank my coaches, my parents, everybody that’s supported me from the advisors at school, the administrators, but even the people who say I can’t do it I thank them too,” said Marcinek about all the people who helped her succeed on the track. “They helped me show others that it doesn’t matter what other people say you can and can’t do. When I hear people say, ‘she’s just from Burgin. She doesn’t even have a jump coach or a track to practice on,’ I’m still going to go out there and do as well as anybody else and prove those people wrong.”

Marcinek, a three sport athlete, helped the Lady Bulldogs volleyball team win a 12th Region All “A” Classic Title, two Bluegrass Conference Championships, two 46th District Championships and two runners-up titles. As a member of the girls basketball team she finished runners-up all four years of her high school career in the 46th District, but it wasn’t until her junior year that she made her way to the track. In 2013 she proved to be a dominant force, winning the Class A State Championship in the long jump event with a distance of 17.00, and placing seventh in the triple jump event with a distance of 33-07.50. She also placed fifth in the 100 meter dash with a time of 13.01.

This year she proved that her junior season was no fluke defending her long jump title with a distance of 16-11.00 and medaled again in the 100 meter dash placing eighth with a time of 13.27. Even with her second state title in hand, Marcinek still wasn’t completely satisfied with her performance.