A small but elite group of Florida athletes traveled to Staten Island, New York this past weekend to compete at the Nike Indoor Nationals put on by the National Scholastic Athletic Foundation at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Facility.
A total of 7 individual athletes and one relay from Florida earned All-American honors with top 8 finishes in their respective championship division events.
Montverde Academy brought the largest group of athletes from the state to the event and was well represented among the top finishers from the state led by Micah Larry, who earned Nike Indoor All-American honors in two events sprinting to a 6.83 best for third place in the championship boys 60-meter dash finals, while leaping to a mark of 24'2.50" in the long jump to become a national runner-up in that event.
Similarly, Micayah Holland led the Montverde Academy girls squad by becoming a two-time All-American over the weekend as she just missed becoming a national champion in the 60 meter dash as the runner-up in the finals with a 7.40 clocking and followed up her first sub 24 second performance in the 200 outdoors at Bolles Bulldog Classic last Friday by going under 24 seconds indoors as well for fourth place at Nike Indoor Nationals at 23.96.
Unfortunately did not get a chance to see their teammate Zyaire Nuriddin chase after a national title in the 400 as he is currently the nation's fastest in the event outdoors at 46.73, but Nuriddin did finish as a Nike Indoor Nationals runner-up in the finals of the 200-meter dash with a 21.14 clocking at Ocean Breeze. He had to settle for second behind arguably one of the performers of the meet in Jordan Anthony from Mississippi, who dominated the sprints including a victory in the 60 meter dash ahead of Nuriddin's teammate Larry as well.
The current US leader in the 300-meter hurdles in Michelle Smith of Montverde Academy had to opt to do another event indoors this weekend and earned medals in both of her races while finishing 4th in the championship girls 400-meter finals in a time of 55.30 after winning her heat in the two-section final, while also taking 3rd in the emerging elite 60-meter hurdles finals in a 9.04 performance.
One of Florida's top throwers this year in Mandarin senior and University of Florida commit Damoni Kelly also ventured up to New York to compete in the championship girls shot put competition. The result for her was another bomb throw of 45'10.25" (13.99 meters) for third place and All-American honors, while just off her best and state leading outdoor mark from a week ago at Bolles of 46'9.50" (14.26 meters). If she matched her personal best this weekend, she would have slid up to second place at best.
Coach Doug Butler brought the only group of distance runners up from Florida to compete at Nike Indoor Nationals with his Satellite boys making the most of their racing opportunities as both Dayton Law (3rd, 9:13) and Justin Wilson (6th, 9:27) got on the All-American podium in the championship boys two-mile run. Meanwhile, Law and Wilson paired with two other teammates to also grab a fifth-place All-American finish in the championship 4x800 meter relay race with a time of 8:06.43. Only a second off their season-best time so far in the outdoor season at 8:05.
Results, photos, and interviews from the Nike Indoor Nationals can be found here.
Florida Results from 2022 Nike Indoor Nationals
Championship Boys 60m Dash
3. Micah Larry (Montverde Academy) 6.83
Championship Boys 200m Dash
2. Zyaire Nuriddin (Montverde Academy) 21.14
Championship Boys 2 Mile Run
3. Dayton Law (Satellite) 9:13.01
6. Justin Wilson (Satellite) 9:27.40
Championship Elite Boys 4x800 Meter Relay
5. Satellite 8:06.43
Championship Boys Long Jump
2. Micah Larry (Montverde Academy) 24'02.50"
Emerging Elite Boys Long Jump
2. Kyle Johnson (Montverde Academy) 22'0.25"
Emerging Elite Boys Triple Jump
5. Kyle Johnson (Montverde Academy) 43'9"
Championship Girls 60m Dash
2. Micayah Holland (Montverde Academy) 7.40
15. Mia Dansby (Montverde Academy) 7.79
Championship Girls 200m Dash
4. Micayah Holland (Montverde Academy) 23.96
13. Twaneise Johnson (St. Francis Catholic) 25.05
Emerging Elite Girls 200m Dash
4. Alivia Williams (Montverde Academy) 24.99
6. Mia Dansby (Montverde Academy) 25.40
Championship Girls 400m Dash
4. Michelle Smith (Montverde Academy) 55.30
12. Twaneise Johnson (St. Francis Catholic) 57.76
Emerging Elite Girls 60m Hurdles
3. Michelle Smith (Montverde Academy) 9.04
Emerging Elite Girls Pole Vault
16. Ashley Conklin (Montverde Academy) 10'1.25"
Emerging Elite Girls High Jump
19. Shaunece Miller (Montverde Academy) 4'11"
Championship Girls Shot Put
3. Damoni Kelly (Mandarin) 45'10.25"