We are just one week away from the 2023 Bob Hayes Invitational at its new home at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville and one of the star athletes to be featured in the meet will be a local talent in Creekside junior Christian Miller.
Miller, last year's 4A state champion as a sophomore in the 200 meter dash, is coming off a sensational season opener at the River City Relays last weekend when he clocked a US #1 wind-legal personal best of 20.78 in the 200 meter dash as well as posting the nation's #2 time in the 100 meter dash with a 10.42 personal best clocking.
At last year's Bob Hayes Invitational, the meet ended up being the breakthrough day that Miller needed to put him on the map as one of Florida's top young sprinters. In the 2022 Bob Hayes Invitational, Miller finished second in the finals of the 200 meter dash with a 21.07 clocking while running a swift time of 10.47 for third in the 100 meter dash finals that stood as his personal best until this past weekend.
After competing in both football and track to start high school and dealing with an injury as a freshman that limited him from racing much in the spring of 2021, Miller has now put his focus completely on track and given up football for his final years of high school athletics.
Miller is hoping last weekend is the first of many great races at University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium as not only will the venue play host to the Bob Hayes Invitational next weekend, but will also be the place where the 2023 FHSAA State Track & Field Finals will be held from May 17th thru 20th.
Miller is definitely eyeing not only repeating as the 200 meter state champion in 4A, but also grab the 100 meter title as well. He will definitely have some strong competition to press him including Sanford Seminole senior Amari Turner, who battled with him for the 200 meter title last spring as the runner-up with a 20.84 best as well as West Orange senior Valentino Rudolph, who was one of the nation's fastest indoors in the 200 meter dash with a 21.20 best.
After winning convincingly at the River City Relays including the 200 meter dash against the nation leader indoors and outdoors in the 400 meter dash in Aidan Dixon (2nd, 21.64) of Port Orange Atlantic, Miller will be looking to next group of worthy challengers to face off with him at Bob Hayes next weekend.
