Girls 800m Run
With no 400 meter hurdles offered this weekend at the Florida Relays, the national leader and state record holder for the 400mH, Montverde Academy's Michelle Smith, will be able to focus on one single event in the 800 meter run.
Last weekend, she dropped three seconds off her personal best to win at the FSU Relays with the nation's second-fastest time of the outdoor season in 2:07.95.
After the Florida Relays, she will be competing next at the CARIFTA Games in the Bahamas representing the U.S. Virgin Islands.
She will have her hands full though in Gainesville, though, and will face off against one of our state's best returning half milers in University of Miami commit Samantha Kavanagh, who owns a 2:08.47 personal best in the event.
The senior from Northeast High School is looking for her first sub 2:10 race of the 2023 season as currently has a season best of 2:12 from winning the BCAA Championships two weekends ago.
Kavanagh is known as a fast starter on the first lap, so would not be surprised to see both girls dip under 2:10 on Friday morning.
Other race contenders to watch in the field include American Heritage senior Sydni Studesville who had a significant time drop last weekend at Dunbar to win the Guy Thomas Memorial Classic in a 2:12 lifetime best, while the meet has also drawn in some strong out-of-state competition between Lauren Leath of Bullis (MD), Shari Brown of Landmark Christian (GA), and Natalia Martin of Olympic (NC) having all run 2:15 or faster in the event prior.
1. Michelle Smith (Montverde Academy) 2:07.95
2. Samantha Kavanagh 12 Northeast (Oakland Park) 2:08.47
3. Sydni Studesville 12 American Heritage 2:12.10
4. Lauren Leath 12 Bullis 2:13.64
5. Shari Brown 10 Landmark Christian 2:14.90
6. Sydney Miller 12 Oak Hall 2:15.91
7. Natalia Martin 12 Olympic 2:15.98
8. Kashia Hoo 10 Chaminade-Madonna 2:17.04
9. Lauren Mahan 12 Calvary Christian (Clearwater) 2:17.48
10. Sierra Barrera 12 Oakleaf 2:17.69
11. Ziza Russell 9 Timber Creek 2:17.75
12. Tara Watkins 10 Naples 2:18.31
13. Olivia Niewald 12 Spruce Creek 2:18.58
14. Lauren Vassello 12 Fort Lauderdale 2:18.90
15. Maya Matheney 11 St. Petersburg 2:19.00
16. Olivia Denney 11 Winter Park 2:19.20
17. Leandra Ferrell 10 Miami Southridge 2:19.24
18. Natalie Nelson 10 West Port 2:19.55
19. Ella Menke 12 Sarasota 2:19.84
20. Ashley Hamilton 10 Buchholz 2:20.67
21. Regan Morrall 11 Western 2:20.93
22. Sierra Howard 11 Matanzas 2:21.20
23. Malia Hambrick 9 North Port 2:21.60
24. Daisy Ross 10 Ponte Vedra 2:21.78
25. Gianna Del Pizzo 11 Lehigh 2:21.84
26. Morgan Rothwell 10 Bullis 2:21.87
27. Aida Castelli 12 Hillsborough 2:22.38
28. Jurni Janac 11 Miami Northwestern 2:22.24
29. Mia White 12 West Port 2:23.32
30. Ava Hendrix 10 Lake Minneola 2:23.33
31. Makenna Mach 11 Bloomingdale 2:23.40
32. Lorena Enamorado 11 Mater Academy 2:23.53
33. Jamariya Robinson 11 Miami Northwestern 2:23.56
34. Brie Andrews 11 Creekside 2:23.60
35. Katelyn Tomaschko 9 Niceville 2:23.89
36. Tori Goldblatt 11 West Boca Raton 2:24.28
37. Cassidy De Young 10 Flagler Palm Coast 2:24.36
38. Eliana Oquendo 11 Olympia 2:24.42