Ocean Lakes senior Justin Hunter (pictured above by Don Rich) finally showed the rest of nation what we have known all along in Virginia about his talent and jumping ability. Competing in his first high school track nationals, Hunter became a national champion in all three jumping events. Two of the events in the long and triple jump, Hunter actually placed second in the competition but was the first US finisher behind winners from Canada to make Hunter as the national champion in both events. In Sunday's triple jump, Charles Akomolafe from Brampton, Ontario overtook Hunter in the finals with the leading mark of 50'6.25". Hunter became the US champion with his runner-up and US #3 mark of 49'9.25". Checking to see if the feat of winning national titles in all three jumping events has ever been accomplished ever by not only a Virginia high school athlete, but any athlete in meet history.
Jamestown senior Colin Mearns (pictured above by Don Rich) was not considered as a favorite to win the boys' mile at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships with a 1600 PR which converts to around 4:20 for a full mile. The recent VA 2A 1600 and 3200 state champion made a huge drop in time to pull out the upset national title against a field of more proven sub 4:20 milers with a 7 second PR victory at 4:13.08! His time converts not only to a state leading 4:11.66 1600 meter time, but ranks him #12 all-time in Virginia high school indoor history.
Churchland senior Cydney Robinson dominated her section of the girls 800 meter run on the final lap to pull away to win her slower section in a time of 2:11.95. Her time ended up holding up to place her third overall following the fast section and earn her second All-American honors of the weekend after anchoring Churchland to a fifth place SMR finish on Friday with a 2:12 split. Her time at NSIC is the fastest by a Virginia girl indoors at 800 meters since Nike Indoor Nationals champion Katie Doswell back in 2006.
First Colonial's Teiara Denmark became the second All-American in the girls' field events from Virginia at NSIC (Lizzie Powell - Pole Vault) with her fifth place leap of 39'0.25" in the girls triple jump.
The future of Virginia distance running looks bright as Lake Braddock 9th grader Sophie Chase (pictured left by Don Rich) became the state's second freshmen mile champion this past weekend in her dominant six second victory on Sunday at the National Scholastic Indoor
Championships. Chase, who anchored Lake Braddock's DMR on Friday nearly to a national title with her sub 5 minute 1600 meter leg, clocked a time just above 5 minutes for the full mile in her 5:01.67 victory for the Virginia 3A state 3200 meter champion. Chase's time nearly beat the time of the seeded championship mile race later on Sunday, which had a winning time of 4:59. Landstown's Stephanie Frenchik took charge midway through to break up a slow early pace and then held on for fourth place and All-American honors in 5:04.72.
Henrico's DreQuan Hoskey earned All-American honors in the finals of the 60 meter hurdles with a fifth place finish, while Chris Dobbins of Christiansburg just missed a top 6 finish by thousandths of a second as his time of 8.21 was equal through the hundredth of a second with the sixth place finisher.
In field events action today, Ocean Lakes senior Justin Hunter will be attempting to make a national titles sweep of the jumping events as he is slated to compete in the triple jump after winning national titles on Friday in the long jump and high jump. Hunter is a favorite and one of the top seeds in the triple jump.
Three boys' pole vaulters from Virginia have advanced onto today's finals after vaulting career bests yesterday in the preliminary flights with Lake Braddock's Matt Hoogland at 15'1.75" and Jefferson Forest's Josh Drablos and Mills Godwin's Eric Zwarycz both clearing 14'10". Hoogland is ranked fourth heading into today with his performance yesterday.