Malden High freshman track star wins 200M at prestigious Colgate Women’s Games in NY Saturday

Khadijah Diagne also set new school and Meet record at Mass. Track Coaches freshman-sophomore event

By Steve Freker

It’s a remarkable story. A Malden High ninth grader who is in her very first season of organized track competition is leading the field at the state and now multi-state levels. Malden High School  Class of 2029 runner Khadjiah Diagne won the 200-meter event at the renowned Colgate Women’s Games on Saturday, February 7 at the Nike Track & Field Center at The Armory located on Fort Washington Avenue in Manhattan in New York, N.Y.

Only a freshman, Diagne is already known as a force in the regional track world, in both the 300M and in the 55M sprint. In the 300M, Diagne is ranked #1 in Massachusetts and 12th nationally after recently breaking the Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association (MSTCA) Meet record on January 24 with a time of 38.60 seconds at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston. In the 55M, Diagne finished 3rd at the MSTCA Meet with a personal best time of 7.15 seconds.

Also a member of the Malden High Girls Soccer Team — which had been her primary athletic sport before starting her track career this winter — Diagne is one of the top-ranked students in the Class of 2029 with a GPA of 4.43.

Khadijah — interviewed immediately after shattering the MSTCA Meet record — made it clear what is next on her agenda. “I would like to break the state 300 record next, that is now my biggest goal,” she told Bay State Running after the meet. “I really think I might have a chance, if not this year, then next year.”

The existing 300M State Record is one of the oldest on the books, having been set in 1986 — 40 years ago — a 37.88 seconds run by Tasha Downing of the former Boston Tech (Boston Technical High School). Downing ran the record time in February 1986 at the National Scholastic Championships held in New Haven, Ct.

Diagne’s next opportunity was at the MIAA Division 3 Indoor Track Championship Meet, which was being held Thursday, February 12, at The Track at New Balance in Allston, Mass., at 4:30 p.m. (after Advocate press time). Good Luck, Khadijah! Get that medal!