Meet the Nevada Preps Girls Athlete of the Year

Centennial track and field sprinter Iyonna Codd is still relatively new to the sport after only starting to run two years ago as a sophomore.

Codd has proven to be a fast learner.

She finished off her senior year by defending her titles in the 100, 200 and 400 meters at the Class 5A state meet in Carson City in May. She also helped Centennial win the 4x400-meter relay and the team title.

Codd’s dominance on the track this season, which included becoming the state record holder in the 100, 200 and 400 meters, earned her Nevada Preps All-Southern Nevada Girls Athlete of the Year honors.

“I feel like I set the standard a little higher,” Codd said. “I set the tone a little higher. I feel like everybody’s mindset changed a little because we all want to do better. Iron sharpens iron.”

Codd, a University of Miami (Florida) commit, broke a 50-year-old record in the 400 meters at this year’s 5A Southern Region meet. She finished in 53.02, besting the previous record of 53.13 set in 1974.

“She has this desire to be the best at what she does. That pushes her,” Centennial coach Roy Session said. “She never settles. Her goal is that she wants to do better. Not all kids have that drive to put in the extra work.”

At the 5A state meet, Codd broke her old record in the 100 meters by three-hundredths of a second by posting a time of 11.61. She also set the new record in the 200 meters at the 5A Southern Region meet with a time of 23.43.

“I felt confident and strong mentally and spiritually because I had a rocky season this year,” Codd said. “I came back and everybody was doubting, but I still walked with confidence.”

“Give it my all”

Codd’s season didn’t get off to the best start. She spent several days in the hospital with an illness at the end of February. She said at times she would struggle to finish a workout when she returned to the track.

It didn’t take her long to return to form. Codd said her remaining two goals — setting the record in the 400 and helping Centennial win the team title — helped her stay motivated to return.

She said setting the record in the 400 was “the only way I was going to leave a mark” this season since owned the 100 and 200 records going into the year.

“(The 400) opened my eyes a lot. It’s where I’ve seen my potential a lot more,” Codd said. “I feel like a lot of people can do the (100) and (200), but for me to do the (100), (200) and (400), (it) opens my eyes a little bit and gives me a different type of feeling and understanding of track.”

She capped her final year with another title. Centennial ran away with the team title after having its run of 10 straight state championships snapped in 2023.

“It was that little fire that we needed,” Codd said. “We took everything and used it as motivation. It felt good knowing they gave it their all and I got to give it my all.”

‘See everything expand’

Codd said she’s looking forward to growing, as a track athlete and person, in college.

“I felt very comfortable. I felt welcomed (at Miami),” Codd said. “I felt like this feeling of being OK with being uncomfortable because I can grow. I can see growth in my experience there and I can see everything expand.”

Codd, who started out playing basketball in high school, first met Session her freshman year. She went to a practice for his club track team because her younger sister was interested in joining.

Codd left basketball after some convincing and ran track her sophomore year, though she dealt with a foot injury. Session said he saw Codd “had something special” before long.

“She’s one of the most fierce competitors that I’ve ever had,” Session said. “Just her talent and her ambition to be good, it’s just amazing. She’s a really good kid.”

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.