Teona Rodgers had the top Florida double of the day, coming in second place in two events. She took the runner-up position in the 200 meter dash with a time of 24.38, just 40 minutes after her second place finish in the 60 meter hurdles (8.40)! A few weeks ago Rodgers grabbed a lot of attention in Florida after running a amazingly fast (be it wind-aided) time of 11.64 at the Steak 'n' Shake Invitational. So she is definitely making a statement so far this year!
While Rodgers had the most impressive double, Wellington's Ashley Brasovan was the Florida's lone national champion. The tiny sophomore sensation ran her first ever indoor race with style, negative-splitting the two mile race to win with a 11 second PR of 10:25.41. She bested the field that included Footlocker Nationals runner-up Aurora Scott (who won the 5000 Meters the night before), her next closest competitor was seven seconds back. Also in the field with Brasovan was Kayla Hale from Holy Trinity. Hale had an excellent race (also a PR) and finished in 3rd place overall (just in front of Scott) with a time of 10:34.52. In the other heat of the 2 Mile, Emily Houston finished second with a new PR of 11:05.94 in her first indoor race.
Jacksonville Episcopal's girls came out of the slow heat to finish in second place overall with a time of 21:14.67 in the 4xMile. The team consisted of Katie Traylor, Maggie Traylor, Hadley Ferguson, and Laura Steel. That was Saturday. Katie Traylor came back on Sunday to take 9th place in the freshman mile with a time of 5:16.85. Steel ran a time of 2:23.81 in Sunday's 800m race.
Other top Florida girls' performances:
- Kayla Conrad 2:21.12 in the 800
- Dina Emde 5-5 in the high jump, tied for 5th overall
- Latoya Parkinson 17-6 in the long jump, 7th overall
Chris Ward was the top Florida boys finisher. Ward regretted not pushing himself hard enough in the prelims, which placed him on the slow heat for the finals. He was still able to win his heat and finish third overall, but since he entered the meet with the number one time in the nation he can't help but wonder what might have happened in the fast heat. Nonetheless going home with third place in the national championship meet is nothing to be ashamed of, nor is his time of 48.37. Ward hopes to come on strong this spring and has set goals for 46.low or 45.high by season's end!
Joseph Franklin, Florida's top 800 meter runner last spring, turned in a 5th place performance in that event with a time of 1:53.94.
Forum favorite Harry Adams of Dillard probably did not have the meet many hoped for. He finished 6th in the finals of the 60m with a time of 6.85 and DNS in the 200--not sure of the reason but being that the 200 and the 60 finals were only an hour apart, it most likley was a decision to focus on the 60 since the double would have been quite difficult physically and mentally.
Flagler Palm Coast fielded a number of relay teams, looking very respectable in all of them. They won their heat of the 4xMile going 18:46.00 for 7th place (second in their heat), 1:31.45 in the 4x200, 3:31.28 in the 1600 SMR for 5th place, and clocked an 11:18.13 in the DMR.
Other top Floridians:
- Alex Wills 4:24.16 in the Mile
- Tyler Greathouse 4:42.61 in the Freshman Mile
- Kevin Elliot 6-4.75, 10th place in the high jump
The MileSplit Network is on site with a team of six covering the two days of Nike Indoor Nationals in Landover, MD.
Photos:Audio Interviews by Kevin Milsted:
- Interview with Flagler Palm Coast after 4xMile Performance
- Interview with Ashley Brasovan after 2 Mile Victory 10:25.41
- Interview with Chris Ward, placed first in 400 slow heat, 3rd overall