Quite a few of the state's elite individuals and relays will be competing this week at the Penn Relays, which is already buzzing since the announcement of 100 and 200 meter dash world record holder Usain Bolt of Jamaica will be competing in the historic event.
Thursday Girls Preview: The Blacksburg girls will certainly be in a great atmosphere and competition to break their own state record of 11:57 and potentially win the distance medley relay led by the Stevens twins. Also in the same race will be National Scholastic Indoor Championship runners-up Lake Braddock, who ran just over 12 minutes indoors not at full strength.
Kathleen Lautzenheiser of Midlothian and Ariel Karabinus of Osbourn Park get to renew their state indoor 1600 meter battle on Thursday in a loaded mile field while Northwest Region rivals Katherine Walker of Brooke Point and Kaitlyn Davis of Mountain View look to run well under 10 minutes in the 3000 meter run after running significant lifetime bests in the 3200 meter run this spring.
Western Branch girls will not only present Virginia's best chance to make the Championships of America finals in the 4x100 meter relay after rolling fast 4x200 meter times indoors on flat tracks, but have quite a few individuals expected to perform well individually in the field events including state high jump champion Keilah Tyson and 40+ foot triple jumper Desmone Gray. The Bethel girls will be the state's top representative and most likely finals qualifier in the 4x400 meter relay after running 3:52 indoors and earning Nike Indoor All-American honors in the event.
More on the Penn Relays can be found at the meet website: http://pennrelaysonline.com/