Top races to watch from Thursday's North Port Invitational at North Port High School in Nort Port, Florida. Check out more race videos here as well as a full photo gallery by Cyrus Hannah.
Girls 300 Hurdles - Isabella Nebel (Sarasota) 44.71
Isabella Nebel has been undefeated this season in the 300 meter hurdles and extremely consistent clocking 44 second performances each week including a 44.71 victory by the Sarasota junior at North Port.
Boys 100 - Elliot Washington (Venice) 10.79
The Venice junior Elliot Washington, who was a state qualifier last year for 4A in the 100, started off the 2022 track season running a new personal clocking and wind-legal performance of 10.79 to run away with the fast heat at the North Port Invitational.
Girls 800 - Julianna Courville (Venice) 2:20.00
In her high school career, Julianna Courville has broken 2:20 in 7 races for 800 meters including a 2:16 personal best to finish 9th in the 2021 FHSAA 4A State Finals. The Venice senior just missed making it an eighth time under 2:20 on Thursday leading the race from wire to wire at North Port Invite in a strong 2:20.00 effort.
Boys 1600 - Alec Miller (Sarasota) 4:23.60
Sarasota's top distance runner Alec Miller sat back before the first three laps before seizing the lead entering the final one at a 3:21 split and crushing the final 400 meters in 62 for an impressive 4:23.60 win in the 1600 meter run. The junior has made a big jump from last spring when his 1600 meter best was only 4:51.
Girls 100 - Kayla Hopkins (Dunbar) 12.35
The Dunbar girls went nearly 1-2-3 in the 100-meter dash fast section and were led by a sophomore in Kayla Hopkins posting a swift time at 12.35 for the victory and teammate Gabriella Solomon in second behind her at 12.49. The performance was just off her PR as a freshman last year at 12.31.
Boys 3200 - Ivan Marin-Padilla (Dunbar) 9:48.77
The boys 3200 saw a race that went down to the final stride to determine the winner as Dunbar's Ivan Marin-Padilla just held off a late charge and run by Manatee senior Paul Lespasio at 9:49.46 settling for second behind the first sub 10 minute effort and win by Marin-Padilla at 9:48.77.