Interview with Montverde Academy junior Zyaire Nuriddin, who is coming off a breakthrough weekend at the Louie Bing Invitational clocking the nation's fastest time at 400 meters in 46.73 along with PR's in the finals of the 100 (2nd, 10.63) and 200 (2nd, 21.57).
Nurridin transferred to Montverde Academy, a boarding school in Central Florida this past year from Howard Tech High School in Delaware, where he was a state champion in all 3 sprint events last spring a sophomore. Like many athletes across the country, the coronavirus pandemic and the shutdown then still strict restrictions for high school competition including his home state made him start considering a new environment and location where his competition opportunities would be greater. Despite his success last spring at Howard Tech, he was limited to only in-state events and had to even race with a mask on.
He has certainly found much more freedom to compete at Montverde Academy under the direction of head coach Gerald Phiri. The team traveled often this winter to top level indoor meets in Virginia and Alabama as well as future trips in March to adidas Indoor Nationals. Nuriddin won the 400 at the Bama Showcase in January as well as the East Coast Invitational in Virginia earlier in February.
However, Nuriddin got his first real test against his new in-state competition in arguably the hotbed for the sprints for Florida with some of the best from Miami-Dade and Broward County found at the Louie Bing Invitational. He certainly passed that test with flying colors, especially in a matchup with two fellow fast juniors in Mekhi Gammons and King Mack in the 400 meter finals and his resulting victory over both.
Montverde Academy also looks to be in a great position to compete for the 2A state title this spring with Nuriddin as the fastest performer right now in the classification in the sprints coupled with distance runner Riley Novack coupled to rack up points for the squad as well with PR's of 1:57 in the 800, 4:22 in the 1600, and 9:19 in the 3200.
