Performance list for the 2007 East Coast Invitational to be held Friday and Saturday, January 19th and 20th at the Arthur Ashe Center in Richmond, Virginia.
It was an attack of the sub 11 two milers from the Virginia girls this weekend with three runners dipping well under the 11 minutes this weekend. Homeschooled junior star Aurora Scott ran a US #1 time of 10:29.12 at the Asics Invitational in Lynchburg, while Deep Run senior Courtlin LaReau challenged her through a 5:12 first mile and held on for a US #3 time of 10:45.86. Incredibly both were newbies to the event indoors with this weekend being Scott\'s first indoor meet. Meanwhile, Chantilly sophomore Lia DiValentin clocked a US #5 time of 10:49.11 on Friday evening at UNC\'s Eastern Challenge.
The East Coast Invitational continues to be one of the longest standing high school indoor invitationals in the state of Virginia as well as the country and continues to bring in some of the state\'s best talent. The first East Coast Invitational was held in 1960 and this year\'s meet will be the 48th annual. The meet use to be hosted inside the Richmond Coliseum on a wooden banked track before moving over to the Arthur Ashe Center in 1983. The 2007 edition of the East Coast Invitational will feature Shanneka Claiborne, Aramis Massenburg, Rachel Butler, and Anthony Chesson as some of the state\'s top athletes in the meet with the Manchester boys and Midlothian girls as the top teams attending.
Not too many surprises at the East Coast Invitational as teams and individuals already established as some of the best in the Central Region did not disappoint with their performances this weekend at the Arthur Ashe Center in Richmond. The Midlothian girls ruled the distance races and the Manchester boys dominated the sprints and relays. Meanwhile, the Matoaca pair of Shanneka Claiborne and Aramis Massenburg showed just why they are state leaders in their respective events.