Photo by Andrew Kicinski
Liberty Christmas Invitational Highlights:
- The sprints and jumps were dominated for the most part by North Carolina athletes at the Liberty Christmas Invitational, while the distance races went to the Virginians. After completing a breakthrough cross country season which included the Group AA state individual title and qualifying individually for the Nike Cross Nationals, Hidden Valley junior Carolyn Bethel came out on fire for her second indoor season by running two personal best times in the 1600 (5:05.23) and 3200 (11:03.25) meter races at Liberty University. Bethel was only a week removed from wrapping up her cross country season in Oregon at NXN.
- Another runner who earlier in the week was getting re-adjusted from their return trip from Oregon and rushed back in indoor competition was Albemarle senior Adam Visokay. After finishing strong at the Nike Cross Nationals with a 10th place run, Visokay won the 3200 meter run at Liberty in 9:29 after a good challenge from Blacksburg's Nick Link (9:33). Visokay also teamed up on Albemarle's 4x800 meter relay which automatically qualified for the state meet with a VA #1 time of 8:07.53. Another relay leg member in sophomore Ryan Thomas, won the 1000 meter run later in the meet with a time of 2:38.07.
- Blacksburg's Hannah Brown was glad to see the track again after struggling for much of the cross country season as she was set back by injury or illness. One of the state's top returning middle distance runners including a two-time defending state 800 meter outdoor champion in Group AA, Brown clocked a solid early season 1000 meter time of 3:02.68.
- In the boys' triple jump, David Johnson of Charlottesville matched George Freiberger of Westchester Country Day School (NC) with the same mark of 46'2.50" but Johnson's second best legal mark gave him first place over Freiberger. Johnson, the current state leader now in the triple jump, also ran on Charlottesville's 4x200 meter relay which defeated the North Carolina relays with a quick performance of 1:33.80 that ranks the Group AA school right there with the fastest Group AAA squads this season.
- The versatile Sydney Anderson of Pulaski County placed second in both the high jump (5'2") and 500 meter dash with her 500 time of 1:17.21 being a new personal best for the junior. Anderson was an All-State finisher in three events last outdoor season between the 400 meter dash, 200 meter dash, and high jump and will expect to contend for state titles in several events this indoor season.