Hundreds of high school athletes from around the state of Alabama began the chase for a state championship Friday at Memorial Stadium.

Glory was gained, seasons were ended and state records were broken on day one of the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 1A, 2A and 3A state track and field championships Friday at Memorial Stadium.

Friday marked the preliminaries, and championships in some events, as the meet will conclude Saturday at 5 p.m.

Roughly 1,700 athletes from 150 schools participated in events, such as the shot put, javelin and discus throws, high jump, long jump, triple jump, pole vault, and individual running and team relays.

Highlights of the day included four state records broken, including one in each classification.

American Christian Academy’s Nathan Karr set a new state record in the Class 2A boys shot put throw, as he captured a state championship with a throw of 50 feet, two inches.

Tyler Grisby of Rogers High School set a state record and won the state title in the Class 3A boys javelin throw, with a throw of 176 feet, six inches.

State records were also set in the boys and girls 400-meter dashes, as Broc Malcom of Hanceville High School ran a record time of 49.01 seconds in the boys Class 3A 400-meter dash, while Alex Gholston of Hubbard High School set a record time of 58.15 in the Class 1A girls 400-meter dash.

Local athletes from Dallas and Perry counties also competed for state titles Friday.

The R.C. Hatch boys 4×100 meter relay team advanced to Saturday’s finals after finishing fourth overall in the Class 2A preliminaries with a time of 46.03.

The Keith High School boys 4×100 meter relay team finished fourth overall in Class 1A and advanced to Saturday’s finals with a time of 46.63 in the preliminaries.

Keith’s Charles Johnson also advanced to the state finals, finishing fourth overall in the boys Class 1A 100-meter dash with a time of 11.36.

As for the team competitions, Greensboro High School was in first place in Class 3A boys with 56 points after eight scored events, while Catholic Montgomery was second with 44 points and Hanceville was third with 40 points.

In Class 3A girls, Bayside Academy was first with 46 points after seven events, while Winfield High School was second with 24.5 and T.R. Miller was third with 23 points.

In boys Class 2A, American Christian was in first place with 28 points after five events, Mobile Christian was second with 22 points, and LaFeyette was third with 20 points.

In Class 2A girls, American Christian was first with 40 points after five events, while Cottage Hill was second with 22 points, and Mobile Christian was third with 17 points.

In Class 1A girls, Cedar Bluff High School was first with 33 points after seven events, while Addison was second with 30.5, and Westminster School was third with 27 points.

And in 1A boys, Cedar Bluff was first with 56 points after seven events, while Addison and Westminster were tied for second with 27 points.