Valerie Jirak is a national champion. The recent Star Valley High School grad and track and field standout finished atop of the field in the Heptathlon with 5,201 points at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Oregon. Jirak won the Heptathlon at the Arcadia Classic in California earlier this year and has committed to competing in multiple events at Duke University next school year. She holds nine SVHS school records and recently earned Wyoming All-State in the 4A Class in multiple events last month in Casper and won the state title in the long jump. 

After setting a new PR in the 200 meters of 2:18.6 and winning the event by more than three seconds and putting a cherry on top of a new PR for points in the Heptathlon of 5,201, Jirak spoke with runnerspace.com who asked her which even was the hardest.

“I think shot put was the hardest because I’m not a big person,” she said. “But It feels so great to see the hard work that I put in to play out.”

Jirak entered that final race of the Heptathlon with a lead of over 300 points and still pulled away for the new personal best time and the event win.

Here are Jirak’s times and marks for the events on her way to the national championship:

100 Meter Hurdles (14.74) 2nd

200 Meter Dash (24.73) 1st

High Jump (5’ 4”) 1st

Long Jump (19’ 2”) 1st

Javelin (100’ 6”) 3rd

Shot Put (30’ 6.5”) 5th

800 Meter (2:18.6) 1st