CHSAA Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green was inducted into the 2022 Colorado Running Hall of Fame in a ceremony held Tuesday night, April 12.
The Colorado Running Hall of Fame was established by the Colfax Marathon in 2007 to recognize those luminaries in Colorado.
“The Colorado Running Hall of Fame has many distinguished American and World record holders noted for their distance running, so to be considered as their equal as a pure sprinter/hurdler has been humbling beyond words,” Blanford-Green stated.
Blanford-Green began her running career in Fairbanks, Alaska but began to make her mark when her father was re-stationed to Fitzsimmons Army base in Aurora.
As an Aurora Central student-athlete, Rhonda set district, league and state records in the 100 and 200 meters, the long jump and 100 meter hurdles. She never lost a 100 meter hurdle race as a Colorado senior and was ranked number one in the nation when she accepted a full scholarship to the University of Nebraska.
Rhonda finished her collegiate career at Nebraska as an 18 time All-American, undefeated conference champion in the 55 meters and 100 meter hurdles, member of the world-record setting shuttle hurdle relay and four time NCAA gold medalist. She captained both the Aurora Central CHSAA State Champion Track and Field and University of Nebraska National Championship teams.
Blanford-Green went on to compete in both the 1984 and 1988 Olympic trials representing the the USA internationally before retiring and dedicating her career to high school and collegiate coaching, administration with emphasis on equity and inclusive opportunities for in education, activities and athletics.