If one word could describe today's track and field events at the Panhandle Open, it would be, EXCITING! 15 Schools from Northwest Florida and Alabama participated in 17 Events fighting cold temperatures and windy conditions. The meet was well organized and ran smoothly. Only one malfunction of the start gun caused the boys 110 hurdles to be done completely a second time. The gun did not go off to signal a false start so the race was not stopped. When it finally did go off, the boys were almost to the finish. The participants were given a chance to rest and the event was repeated before the 1600 meter run.
The day started with the 4 x 800. Batons seemed to pass effortlessly from one team member to the next as runners pushed themselves to their limits around the newly surfaced rubber track at the Bay High School stadium. Fort Walton Beach High School took the win for both the boys and girls teams in this event.
Next there was a mix of track and field events. Preliminary races were held as runners sought to qualify in their individual events. Shot put, discus, high jump, triple jump, long jump, and pole vault participants also competed.
Among the participants was Kayla Parker. Kayla holds the record here for the 200 Meter Dash and also has a National Elite score for the long jump. It was announced that Kayla Parker will be attending the University of Kentucky next year. Congrats to Kayla!
The final event, the boys 1600 meter relay, started out without a glitch. However, it ended with a bounce. The final runner was from South Walton High School. As he crossed the finish line, he fell, and instantly bounced back to his feet with nothing more than a scrape on his knee. (Must have been that new rubber track.) In the previous boys heat of the same event, the second member of the Mosley High School team lost his shoe just after being passed the baton. He ran the entire 400 meters with one shoe. Talk about not giving up! Every participant today deserves a note of praise for the teamwork and excellent sportsmanship displayed on and off the field.