BOSTON, Ma. - Day 1 at The Track at New Balance is filled with the middle school, freshman and a couple championship events, however Team VA showed up and continued some impressive performances from the Virginia state meets last week.
Team VA kicked off the action with some big times in the Freshman Boys 1-mile run with Fenton Million (Ocean Lakes) and Jaiden Diaz (Independence) running 4:32.28 and 4:33.51, respectively.
In the Freshman Girls 1-mile, Petra Gruendel (Robinson) opened up a lead with 400 to go a very nearly won, but she was caught in the final steps to finish second in a huge PR of 4:52.18. Her time also dipped under the previous meet record. Avery Carlson (Glen Allen) and Ashton Gordon (Woodgrove) also represented Team VA running 5:16.09
In the Freshman Boys 400, Patriot's Anthony Taylor was the top Team VA representative with a time of 52.59 and Carmen Johnson (Ocean Lakes) was the top Freshman girl in the 400 with a time of 58.78.
The first championship event of the meet saw the Blacksburg boys 4X800 running 8:02.71 to lead all Virginia schools. In the Championship Girls 4X800, West Springfield had the top two Team VA teams with their "A" squad running a US#7 9:08.85 to finish 5th and earn All-American honors. The team consisted of Adeline Barker, Rickelle Bush, Allyson Hall and Allie Horner.
In the Field Events, Amiyah Curry of South County continued her impressive freshman campaign in the long jump improving on her personal best at the Group 6 state meet to 17-07.00 and finishing 5th. Langston Pridgeon (Stone Bridge) was the highest placing Team VA representative in the freshman boy's long jump with a personal best 19-02.00.
Day 2 at New Balance Nationals Indoor is highlighted by the Boys and Girls Championship 2-mile and Distance Medley Relays as well as prelims of the 4X200 and 400-meter races. In the field, both boys and girls long jumps and high jumps will be contested as well as the boys shot put.