UIL State Track: Amarillo High distance runner Adam Burlison caps winding career with gold

AUSTIN — Adam Burlison's high school career was a journey, but one that ended with a gold medal in his final high school race.

The Amarillo High distance runner, who was shockingly upset in the Class 5A boys 3,200-meter run early on Friday, bounced back to win the 1,600 to close his senior year of competition at the 2024 UIL State Track Meet .

His career spanned from Lubbock High to Lubbock Coronado, Grapevine and as a senior at Amarillo High, but one that he wouldn't have changed.

"I am very blessed to have gone to four schools, but a lot of people say it might be a curse," Burlison said. "But I got to meet a lot of great people, establish a lot of great relationships. I think it was more a blessing in disguise."

Burlison won the 1,600 and 3,200 as a junior at Grapevine, in the process setting the UIL State Meet record for Class 5A boys, but was out-kicked by Georgetown's Joseph Weinen on the final lap of the 3,200 on Friday, settling for silver in a time of 9 minutes, 3.98 seconds.

With nearly a dozen hours before he returned to the track at Mike A. Myers Stadium for his second event, he had time to refocus.

"I was really upset. Not like down on myself upset, but more frustrated with myself because I know that I could put a better performance than that," Burlison said. "It didn't happen this morning so coming back, I was mad but I had to go do this thing."

Given a second crack at a gold in his final UIL State Track Meet, Burlison held on to edge out Lucas Lovejoy's Caden Gary in a photo-finish by 0.19 seconds.

Now Burlison will shift his focus to Texas, as he will return to Austin full-time to compete for the Longhorns.

"Even today before after my races, I talked to the distance coach and all the distance guys, they treat me like one of their own already and that is a super big thing for me," Burlison said of the Texas staff and team. "In order for me to do my best, I need to know they have my back. I feel like these guys do here.

"I am excited to restart. I won't be the best in college — at least not my freshman year. I want to fall back in love with the grind and that is probably what I'm most excited for."

More: 2024 UIL State Track And Field Championships: Live Results

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: UIL State Track: Amarillo High distance runner Adam Burlison caps winding career with gold