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The USATF Hoover Alumni Invitational takes place Friday at the Crossplex in Birmingham, Alabama and will feature Florida's fastest athletes against the best from the southeast and Texas. Middle school phenom Tamari Davis was set to make her debut at the Galleria Games last week, but will instead open up in the 50 and 200m dash this weekend.
Davis ran 7.63s last year at this meet, a time that would rank 7th in the nation against high school athletes. Don't let her age fool you, the 8th grader at Abraham Lincoln Middle School in Gainesville owns personal bests of 11.77 and 23.94. She was third at the Adidas Dream 100 behind FSU signee Katia Seymour and University of Miami signee Amuru Patterson.
Joining Davis on the Empire Athletics squad will be FSU signee Chauncy Smart and one of the most versatile athletes in the country in Tariq Evans, son of coach Gary Evans, who also is a professional coach for Adidas. Both athletes added their names to the meet record books at the Galleria Games and produced several nationally ranked marks.
More names to watch from the Empire Athletics group include sprinter Aniyah Williams, hurdler Jasmine Williams, and Malachi Shannon who will compete for several titles in the 13-14 year old age group. With tons of out of state talent in attendance, Gary Evans says the main goal is keeping the pride.
"Go out and represent Florida. That's the goal for tomorrow."
Speaking of meet records and nationally ranked marks, Daneesha Davidson, a UCF signee, also competed and had success at the Crossplex just two weeks ago.
100 and 200m state qualifier Jaariq Charles of Cocoa will be joined by fellow 100, 200m state qualifier Steven Simmons of Palatka and a host of other athletes on the E.O.T.O. group coached by Tyrone Giscombe.
Coach Kenny Anderson will bring his Next Level Track Club up from Jacksonville and includes sprinters Monet Bowen and Nia Guine of Bollles.
Another team out of North Florida is the North Florida Speed Alliance led by Lincoln coach Corey Poole. FSU sprint coach Ricky Argro's daughter Tamera Mason will look to be the next in the line of great Trojan sprinters that include Jadzia Beasley and Tamani Wilson. Wilson, who signed with Ohio State touts a younger brother in Trevor Wilson who will be a threat in the 400m dash.
Last but not least is one of Florida's top 400m runners in 4A state champion and FSU commitment Karimah Davis. Davis owns a PR of 53.98 from the AAU Junior Olympic Games and has the range to run anything from 100-400. She'll have a ton of teammates from the Fast Lane Track Club competing as well and cheering her on when they aren't running.
Other Florida teams competing include Florida Express and Florida Elite.