Many track fans in Amarillo caught their first glimpse at Amarillo High and University of Oregon signee Adam Burlison during Friday’s opening day of the Amarillo Relays Meet of Champions.

Those in attendance now understand what the hype is about and can’t wait to see what’s in store for Saturday afternoons running finals from the standout Burlison.

Running in the 3200-meter run to open things up Friday morning, Burlison fought the north wind to race to the gold medal stand clocking a time of 9:34.14 which was 10 seconds better than second place finisher Ryan Fernandez of Canyon’s 9:44.02.

Burlison will showcase his talent in the 1600 meter run on Saturday and is expected to be a key leg in the Sandies mile relay.

Canyon senior and University of Missouri signee Hannah Stuart is no stranger to making her mark the prestigious Amarillo Relays.

After setting the meet record in the 3200-meter run as a junior last year with a 10:58.12, Stuart came close once again to her own record Friday racing to a time of 10:58.50, just 32 seconds off last year’s pace.

Stuart breezed to another gold medal leaving the field behind by 42 seconds with Lubbock High’s Reese Pena coming in second with a time of 11:40.63.

The Tascosa Lady Rebels had a very good day one of the Amarillo Relays leading the team competition with 34 points giving Tascosa a 10-point advantage over Canyon (24 points) heading into Saturday.

Highlighting Friday afternoon was the Lady Rebels making it a clean sweep on the medal stand in the discus competition. Sylvia Cardona claimed the gold with a toss of 116-feet-8 inches, teammate Maggie Marhefka earned silver with a throw of 114-5 and Tavli Sneed won the bronze (108-7).

Those three weren’t the only ones to win gold or get medals for the Lady Rebels. Senior Saphina Stanley had a strong day in the long jump leaping to a gold medal jump of 17-feet-10 inches to hold off Canyon’s Brooklyn Kinsey, who placed second with a 17-6 3/4.

Saturday’s running finals begin at 1:30 p.m.

Day one champions 

Here’s a look at the rest of Friday’s gold medal winners.

Girls

Randall’s Sophia Bush set a new school-record and new personal best after clearing 12-feet-1 inch to claim a gold medal in the pole vault event.

Amarillo High’s Ava Rahlfs earned the gold medal in the shot-put event with a toss of 39-feet-7 inches.

Lubbock-Cooper’s Brentley Preston was outstanding by clearing 5-feet-8 inches to find her way to the gold medal stand in the high jump.

Boys

Stratford’s Bryce Braden won the discus event with a toss of 167-feet-5 inches.

Hunter Spier of Amarillo High had a great throw of 50-feet-10 inches to bring home a gold in the shot-put event.

Coming off a silver medal at the UIL state meet last year, West Plains sophomore Brycen Williams continues to impress taking gold in the high jump after clearing 6-feet-6 inches.

Randall’s Collin Miller popped off a leap of 21-feet-10 inches for the gold medal win in the long jump.

Brett Whatley of Tascosa outlasted the field by vaulting 13-feet to grab a gold medal in the pole vault competition.