Junior Olivia Higgins of Coral Springs is the top seed in the Girls 800 Meter Run Championship at the Adidas Outdoor Nationals. She was the 4A State Champion in 2:09.09.
Photo Credit: Cedric Gillette
WATCH: Adidas Outdoor Nationals
Meet Information
The Adidas Outdoor Nationals start tomorrow, June 18th, at the Marcus T. Johnson Track Complex in Greensboro, NC, and run through the 21st. MileSplit brings all of the track coverage to you LIVE, starting tomorrow at 1:00 pm with the Middle School Girls 2 Mile. Some of Florida's top talent is scheduled to compete. Below is a short preview of the top-seeded girls and boys, event by event.
GIRLS
Florida Girls With The Best Championship Opportunities
Cai Culpepper (400m) - Top seed.
Olivia Higgins (800m) - Top seed.
Stella Krueger (2 Mile) - Top seed.
Jewel Domingue (Long Jump) - Top seed.
Joniah Holson (Shot Put) - Top seed.
Idorenyin Essiet (Heptathlon) - Seeded second.
Patricia Costa (100H) - Seeded third.
Jamaiya Holson (Discus) - Seeded fourth.
Girls 100 Meter Dash
Desirae Murray (Winter Haven HS) - Seeded 11th, 11.62
Winter Haven junior Desirae Murray enters nationals after a breakthrough spring that culminated in a third-place finish at the FHSAA 2A State Championships. Her lifetime best of 11.62 (+1.6) ranks her among the fastest Floridians in the field and puts her in position to challenge for a spot in the finals.
Girls 400 Meter Dash Championship
Cai Culpepper (Tampa Prep) - Top Seed, 53.00
Lauryn Burgess (Admiral Farragut Academy) - Seeded 4th, 54.84
Florida owns the top seed in the event thanks to Cai Culpepper, who blasted a national-class 53.00 at the OTD Timing Summer Series. The Tampa Prep standout enters as one of the favorites for the national title.
Standing alongside her is Lauryn Burgess. The Admiral Farragut star finished runner-up at the FHSAA 1A State Championships and owns a season best of 54.84.
Girls 200 Meter Dash
Lauryn Burgess (Admiral Farragut Academy) - Florida's Top Seed, 24.16
Already entered in the 400m, Burgess is scheduled to double back in the 200m, where she is the highest-seeded Florida athlete.
Girls 800 Meter Run Championship
Olivia Higgins (Coral Springs HS) - Seeded 1st, 2:09.09
Few Florida athletes enter nationals with more momentum than Olivia Higgins. The Coral Springs junior captured the FHSAA 4A state title in 2:09.09, and that performance currently gives her the No. 1 seed heading into Adidas Nationals. Higgins has developed into one of Florida's premier middle-distance talents and will be a serious contender for the national championship.
Girls Mile Championship
Sophomore Stella Krueger (Episcopal School of Jacksonville) - Seeded 10th, 5:06.36
Krueger enters the mile after a strong season highlighted by a 5:04.63 performance at the Bolles Mile Showcase. Krueger continues to establish herself among Florida's next generation of distance stars.
Girls 2 Mile Championship
Stella Krueger (Episcopal School of Jacksonville) - Top Seed, 10:38.63
Krueger's best opportunity may come in the 2 Mile, where she has the No. 1 seed after winning the FHSAA 2A 3200-meter state title and posting a converted mark of 10:38.63.
Girls 100 Meter Hurdles Championship
Patricia Costa (Taravella HS) - Seeded 3rd, 13.80
Samanta Bandres Chourio
(Coral Springs HS) - Seeded 10th, 14.02
Florida has some depth in the sprint hurdles with freshman Patricia Costa seeded third after running 13.80 en route to a third-place finish at the FHSAA 4A State Championships. The young hurdler has quickly emerged as one of the state's brightest rising hurdlers.
Samanta Bandres Chourio enters with a season best of 14.02.
Both Costa and Chourio are capable of reaching the final.
Girls 400 Meter Hurdles Championship
Samanta Bandres Chourio (Coral Springs HS) - Florida's Top Entrant, 59.87
Bandres Chourio's strength is evident as Florida's entry in the 400m hurdles, where she has run sub-60 (59.87).
Girls' Long Jump Championship
Jewel Domingue (American Heritage Boca/Delray) - Top Seed, 20-10
Olivia Noel (Taravella HS) - Seeded 6th, 19-4
One of Florida's strongest events may be the long jump, where freshman Jewel Domingue enters with the top mark in the field at 20-10, making her one of the favorites for the national title. She is one of the top underclassmen nationally and has already demonstrated her combination of speed and explosiveness.
Joining her is fellow freshman Olivia Noel, whose 19-4 best is the No. 6 seed.
Girls Triple Jump Championship
Jewel Domingue (American Heritage Boca/Delray) - Seeded 2nd, 41-5
Gabrielle Pridgen (St. Thomas Aquinas) - Seeded 9th, 39-1¼
Domingue also ranks among the nation's top underclassmen triple jumpers. Her 41-5 performance gives her the No. 2 seed and places her firmly in championship contention.
Senior Gabrielle Pridgen also enters among the top 10 seeds after producing a season best of 39-1¼.
Girls Shot Put Championship
Joniah Holson (Sebastian River HS) - Top Seed, 45-8¼
Javona Williams (Royal Palm Beach) - Seeded 4th, 43-5
Olivia Chapman (Oviedo HS) - Seeded 5th, 43-0
Jamaiya Holson (Sebastian River HS) - Seeded 11th, 41-4¼
Senior Joniah Holson leads the field after a runner-up finish at the FHSAA 3A State Championships and a personal best of 45-8¼.
Girls Discus Throw Championship
With the top seed in the shot put, Holson is the No. 4 seed in the discus with a 148-2½. Her 148-2½ throw earned runner-up honors at the FHSAA 3A State Championships.
Girls Javelin Throw Championship
Sariyah Lewis (Fort Lauderdale HS) - Seeded 4th, 39.44m
Girls Heptathlon Championship
Idorenyin Essiet (Fort Lauderdale) - Seeded 2nd, 4,795 points
Krystal Inhoof (Key Biscayne) - Seeded 3rd, 4,133 points
Shyla Thadhani (Miami) - Seeded 10th, 3,334 points
Jayde Marley (Key Biscayne) - Seeded 11th, 3,200 points
Idorenyin Essiet enters with the second-highest score in the field and appears ready to challenge for the national title. Fellow Floridian Krystal Inhoof is seeded third, giving Florida two athletes among the top contenders.