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Lena Puz ends historic Vashon career with three state podiums

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, June 2, 2026

By Eddie Macsalka For The Beachcomber

Tony Puz Photos Vashon’s Lena Puz (pink jersey) races toward a second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles at the WIAA 1A State Track and Field Championships in Yakima. The Cornell-bound senior broke her own school record with a time of 15.19 seconds and finished her career with three state podium finishes.
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Tony Puz Photos

Vashon’s Lena Puz (pink jersey) races toward a second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles at the WIAA 1A State Track and Field Championships in Yakima. The Cornell-bound senior broke her own school record with a time of 15.19 seconds and finished her career with three state podium finishes.

Tony Puz Photos Vashon’s Lena Puz (pink jersey) races toward a second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles at the WIAA 1A State Track and Field Championships in Yakima. The Cornell-bound senior broke her own school record with a time of 15.19 seconds and finished her career with three state podium finishes.
Vashon’s Lena Puz wins a second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles at the WIAA 1A State Track and Field Championships in Yakima.

Lena Puz spent four years rewriting the Vashon record books. On May 28-30 in Yakima, she wrote the final chapter.

The Cornell-bound senior closed one of the most decorated athletic careers in Vashon history with three podium finishes at the WIAA 1A State Track and Field Championships, adding to a legacy that already included two state wrestling championships and a handful of school records.

Puz finished second in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.19 seconds, lowering the school record she set a year ago at the state championships.

She finished behind Bellevue Christian’s Rocklyn Osborn, whose winning time of 14.14 broke a 33-year-old 1A state record. Puz also earned podium finishes in both throwing events, placing fifth in discus with a throw of 106 feet, 9 inches and seventh in shot put at 36 feet, 2¼ inches. She accounted for the Pirates’ only team points at the meet.

Puz leaves Vashon owning school records in the 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, 200 meters, shot put and discus. She also helped set the school record in the 4×200-meter relay.

Six teammates qualified alongside her after a strong showing at the District 3 championships, and several turned in strong performances against some of the state’s toughest competition.

Junior Josh Healey capped another strong season by finishing 18th in the 1600 meters with a time of 4:41.60.

Junior Ben Williams narrowly missed the podium in javelin, placing ninth with a throw of 152 feet, 2 inches. Tehya Fiala-Garel competed in two throwing events, finishing 14th in shot put and 16th in discus.

On the girls side, senior Emily Harrington finished 14th in the 1,600 meters in 5:29.58 after entering the meet as the District 3 champion in both the 800 and 1,600 meters. Fellow senior Mahala Regis placed 16th in shot put.

The state meet marked the end of the high school careers of Puz, Harrington and Regis, Healey, Williams, Fiala-Garel and Callum Babb are among the underclassmen expected to return next season after helping the Vashon boys finish second at districts and send seven athletes to state.

Eddie Macsalka is a contributing reporter to The Beachcomber.

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