I was at the Michael Johnson Invitational track meet in Waco yesterday and it was a GREAT day for the Red Raiders. Perfect day for track and field and terrific performances for the Red Raiders. Let me get started with the highlights:
- #1 was a stupendous performance by Hannah Carson in the javelin - as she shatters her school record in the javelin with a throw of 198-3!! Not on a Red Raider school record, but the 3rd best throw in history for a collegian. Mull that stat for a moment. The JT was the first event of the day and I got to watch each throw - she was in the zone from the start. Throw after throw over 180 feet, with the Stanford girl pushing her with some throws over 180 of her own. The surprisingly large audience that was already present was so appreciative - oohing and aahing at Hannah's throws. It was a great way to start the day.
- CJ Jones is the man. The guy went up against a good field and looked like he was going to win from the get-go. He let another runner lead the first lap and absolutely took control from that point on and ran a PR of 1:47.34 and did not look challenged at all. CJ is so dadgum confident right now. Another good 800 note, freshman Vincent Crisp was trailing CJ for the entire race and about 300 meters from the finish it looked like he decided to make it a race. Vincent passed 4 runners over the final 300 meters and ran a PR of 1:47.92. V could have quit and mailed it in and instead he caught everyone except CJ and ended up with a conference and national contending time. And, speaking of the 800, in the next to fastest heat, Alex Foster ran a PR in the 800 as well -- a 1:50.51 that puts HIM into the conference hunt as well.
- Kyle Collins has come into his own this year - in a BIG way. In the 4x100 he anchors the Red Raiders to win the race (just 2 weeks ago he ran his first ever 4x100 relay); then he comes back with a huge PR in the 400 of 45.33; and he then runs a excellent 2nd leg on the 4x400 relay. Kyle has a funky running style that makes it look like he is always lunging forward, but he has become a national-contending kid who will be pivotal come conference time.
- Tech's reigning quartermile king, Joseph Richards, has been fighting minor injury, so he was given a seed time that ensured he competed in a slower heat, but he looked good in running a very respectable 46.56 and then he ran a terrific leadoff leg on the 4x400 that put Tech in 1st.
- Viershanie Latham is another good kid on the team who has jumped up to GREAT this year. She won the LJ with a PR of 20-1.75 and then won the TJ with a PR of 43-8 - a too 8 mark nationally. Viershanie is also doing a really good job of running the leadoff leg on a young 4x100 relay as well.
- The men's relays looked great! The 4x100 runs a 39.50 with Nigel Bethel, Kareem McBride, Andrew Hudson and Kyle Collins. At the end of the day, the 4x400 runs a 3:05.18 with Joseph Richards, Kyle Collins, Kareem McBride, and Vincent Crisp. The 2nd team was really sturdy - a 3:15.91 with three walkons (Isaac Shepard, Joel Latson, Christopher Scott) and halfmiler Alex Foster.
- Amani Nesmith jumps over 20 for the first time - a 20-1.5 jump. I am beginning to think that she may concentrate on jumps and hurdles the rest of this year and not compete in the hep at conference. Will wait and see.
- Freshman Maygen Smith ran an excellent halfmile of 2:11.55 - faster than anything she ran in HS by 3 seconds and looks like she could be running under 2:10 soon.
- For the first time since getting here, Tiffani Johnson is beginning to look like a good sprinter. She ended up season best in the 100 (11.76) and 200 (23.88) and may be looking to really help this year.
- I think it is time to look at Clark Blunt as a possible conference runner in the steeple. He has broken his PR each time he has run the race this year and his time of 9:38.58 would have actually placed last year (albeit that was a an exceedingly slow 8th place time in 2015).
- The freshman Charles Brown in a MAN - running the LJ (2nd best jump of the year at 25-6.75) and going over 50 for the first time in the TJ (50-6.25).
- There are some walkon kids that I like on this team: Joel Latson (10.79/21.79); Christopher Scott (1:54.34); and Isaac Shepard (48.77). They just keep getting better.
- Natalie Baker got a PR in the JT (158-10) and could well be throwing over 160 by conference
