For as long as she can remember, Montezuma-Cortez High School sophomore Aryelle Wright has enjoyed running fast. So much so, in fact, that prior to her first birthday, the now 15-year-old track phenom was already racing around the house at high speeds.
I’ve always loved running,” Wright said. “I started running when I was 9 months old. Mom said that she was always chasing me around the house. I was always just really fast.”
Fast forward to this year’s the Colorado State Track Championships at Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood on March 21.
A warm air circulates through Jeffco Stadium and nothing more than a light breeze buffets the air. The track is in perfect condition despite the fact that a snow storm covered the surface with white just two days before.
Standing near the blocks prior to the 400-meter dash, Wright looks every bit the part of a sprinter. Long legs accentuate her wiry, yet muscular, build and her trademark red hair casts a lasting image towards the stands.
She appears confident, as well she should be, given that her training splits have been dropping throughout the season. Wright also draws confidence from her coach, Bob Archibeque, who has inspired countless M-CHS athletes over the past four decades.
Once in the blocks, Wright appears completely at home and at the sound of the gun, she springs to action. Arms pumping and legs churning, she quickly accelerates from Lane 8 to the front of the pack and less than a minute later, she leans across the finish line.
Based on her second-place finish in the heat, Wright knows that her time will be solid. But until she glances at the clock, she’s not entirely sure how fast it will be.
“I followed everything that my coaches told me to do,” Wright said. “After the race, I couldn’t walk. The greatest feeling was looking up at the scoreboard and seeing that I got a 58.
While the importance of Wright’s time of 58.28 was not initially apparent, the subminute mark was significant.
First, the time represented the second-best among runners in Colorado’s 3A Class, which meant that Wright was able to stand near the top of the podium at the state’s most prestigious prep track event.
The time also broke the M-CHS school record of 58.6, which, according to record boards at the old high school and The Journal’s archives, had been set by Wright’s mother, Amber Cunningham, in 1990.
“I knew that my mom had run a 58, but I wasn’t sure the exact time,” Wright said. “After my race, I went up in the stands and we just embraced each other. We didn’t even say anything. We were just hugging each other, and we were both crying.”
According to Wright, track and field has been a sport of choice for her family, which includes older sister Olivia Wright, who was a state placer for Dolores High School.
Although Wright’s mother has refrained from coaching her girls over the years, Wright’s grandfather, Dean Cunningham, has provided valuable tips to his granddaughters just as he did for his daughter. “My grandpa always puts in a word,” Wright said. “My parents never pushed me to do track or anything like that, but track has been a huge thing in our family,” Wright said.
Looking ahead to her future on the track, Wright indicated that her primary goals for the next two years are to return to the podium and run a time in the range of 56 seconds.
To accomplish her objectives, Wright plans to play for M-CHS’ volleyball and basketball teams each of the next two years while spending time in the weight room with her family. Wright also hopes to maintain her 4.0 GPA with an eye toward becoming a medical doctor.
“My goal is to become better during the next two years,” Wright said. “I would like to eventually run a time in the 57 or 56 range. Doing so will take training and dedication.”
In the days immediately ahead however, Wright plans to reflect on her record setting day and take pride in the fact that her second year of high school yielded a result unlike any that her school or community has previously seen.
“It was an amazing experience,” said Wright, when asked to sum up her record breaking day.
“This year’s state meet is something that I will never forget.”
