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Herald athlete of the week: Glenbrook South's Sydney Willits

In her first track and field meet of the season, the Crosstown Classic against Glenbrook North, Glenbrook South senior Sydney Willits won three events. In her second meet, the Prospect Invitational last Saturday, Willits won two individual events and ran on two winning relays to contribute 40 of her team's 79 points in a fifth-place finish at one of the spring's premiere meets.

At Prospect, Willits won long jump at 5.75 meters (18 feet, 10 inches), won triple jump at 11.32 meters (37 feet, 2 inches) and led off victorious 400- and 800-meter relays. Joining Abby Milott, Daphne Gerber and Hayden Nelson on the 400 relay, Willits and the Titans set a new program record at 50.42 seconds.

A 2019 Class 3A all-state long jumper and a state finalist in triple jump, and a USATF All-American in triple jump with her club team, TC Boost, Willits will be a third-generation track athlete at Iowa State.

Sydney's mother, Christa; her Uncle Andy; and her grandfather, Fran, all ran track at Iowa State. Her aunt, Lindsey Long - former two-time Cyclones MVP in women's soccer - works in the athletic department.

"Sydney is a joy to coach," said Titans coach Danny Zapler. "She is dedicated to her sport and is helpful to everyone on and off the track. She is not only good at what she does, she makes everyone around her better."

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