Multi-talented Zhane Santiago of Kahuku says she choose to compete in only four events at the recent state track and field championships so that she could get proper rest between events.  “My coaches wanted me to focus on my important events so that I get more rest,” Santiago said. “Right after the (100-meter) hurdles is the 100-meter race.  And it would have been hard for me to compete at my best if I ran.”

Santiago captured victories at the state championships in the girls long jump (at 17 feet, 11 1/2 inches), and girls 100-meter hurdles (14.71 seconds), breaking the previous mark of 14.85 held by Vera Simms of Mililani in 2000. She  became the 13th girls athlete since 1990 to win an event three straight seasons by taking the 100 hurdles.
Santiago has her sights on winning the 300-meter hurdles at states next season. She finished second in the 300 hurdles this year, losing to Hawaii Prep Academy’s Kuuipo Nakoa. “For my senior year I want to win this race. I had to pull out of the race last year due to an injury and this year I just got beat.”

At the Oahu Interscholastic Association track championships Santiago  performed marvelously, winning five girls events in addition to setting a meet record in the girls 100-meter hurdles race in front of a boisterous crowd at Kaiser.  Santiago's victory in the 100-meter hurdles race was her third straight title in this event. In that race, Santiago blew away the field by a wide margin.

Minutes after winning the 100-meter hurdles, Santiago edged Radford's Kaeli Patton by .02 of a second. "I knew I was racing against good competitors," Santiago said. "Even though I had to compete in a lot of events today I gave it my all. I do get tired, but all I could think about was finishing. At the end I just leaned forward as far as I could toward the finish line and won."

Santiago had no problems winning the 300-meter hurdles in 47.89. The junior also won the girls long jump with a leap of 17 feet, 1 1/4 inches and the girls triple jump in 35-7 1/4 . The only event that Santiago didn't win was the girls high jump. She tied for fifth. "This is my second time competing in the high jump," Santiago said. "The coaches wanted me to try to see how well I would do."