Girls 200 Meter Dash
It will be another clash of the 1A classification's fastest with the same names from the 100 meter dash featured in the 200 meter dash. Azaria Whitehurst of Fort Meade, Tyra Cox of Chaminade-Madonna, and McKenzie Travis of Evangelical Christian.
Whitehurst is the defending state champion in the event with a 23.75 personal best from last spring. She has not been as sharp or as fast so far this outdoor season including a 25.90 third place finish in her last race at the Kowboy Invitational, but won at the Berkeley Invitational in 24.76 earlier in the month.
Meanwhile, Cox has the fastest season best among the top entrants at 24.19 from a fourth place finish in the finals at the Louie Bing Invitational and ran 24.34 last week at the Calvary Christian Invitational. Last year, she was runner-up at the Guy Thomas Memorial Classic and then ultimately finished third in the FHSAA 1A State Champs.
Travis was fourth in the 200 meter dash at last year's state meet behind Whitehurst and Cox but really improved this past indoor season becoming the Florida indoor state champion in the 200 meter dash with her first sub 24 clocking at 23.93 then earning All-American honors at New Balance Nationals with a sixth place finishing PR of 23.76.
Boys 200 Meter Dash
Definitely one of the featured boys races of the meet will be the 200 meter dash including 8 entrants who have run in the 21 minute range.
American Heritage has two historically fast freshmen in Zamarii Sanders and Brandon Bennett, but Bennett won't be racing this weekend. Sanders will be though with his FL #4 ranked 21.15 personal best and just maybe will be flirting with sub 21 seconds in the event. His personal best time of 21.15 was also into a headwind from his victory at the Ellis Elite 16 Invitational.
He will have competition including several members of IMG Academy's recent New Balance Nationals Indoor champion 4x200 meter relay squad in Dylan Woodruffe, Caine Stainley, and Davonte Howell. All three have run consistently in the 21 second range for the open 200.
Meanwhile, Chaminade-Madonna also has two of their sprint studs in the 200 between D'Angelo Ponds and Kwame Smith. Ponds is more 100/200 geared, while Smith is the top seed and favorite in the 400. Smith ran a 21.60 personal best last weekend to win the Calvary Christian Invitational, while teammate Ponds was right behind him at 21.65 for second place.