PHILADELPHIA, PA – Local track and field competitors from Blythewood High School, Westwood High School and Fairfield Central High School competed at the New Balance National Outdoor meet June 15-18.
Brianna Rodriguez and Sharmelle Holmes competed with Dreamchaserz at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor meet.
Rodriguez finished fifth in 400m hurdles with a season-best 1:01.54 time. Her previous season-best was in her first place state title win the 400m hurdles at 1:02.22. She also competed in 100m hurdles, but did not qualify for the finals. Rodriguez, who graduated from Westwood in early June, is committed to continue her track career at the University of Central Florida.
Holmes took to the New Balance Nationals to compete in the 100m dash, 200m dash and long jump. She finished in 18th place in long jump finals at 18-6. She also placed 19th in prelims for 200m dash, 30th in prelims for 100m dash. Her record in long jump was set at in her 2A State Championship win at 18-11. Holmes is entering her senior year at Fairfield Central High School.
Blythewood High School took 14 athletes to compete individually in 23 events. The girls’ team competed in six relays and the boys ran in four.
Olivia Taylor placed fourth in long jump at 17-11.25. Taylor had a season-best time in 400m dash at 57.41. Gabrielle Davis placed seventh in long jump at 16-6.5. Arianna Williams placed seventh in the 400m dash at 55.06. Madison Ross placed 35th in 400m dash at 1:03.13. Kaitlyn McFadden placed 47th in the 800m run at 2:19.25, and Hailey Hightower placed 27th in 800m run at 2:24.01.
Nicholas Washington had the boys’ highest finish. He placed 21st in the 400m dash with a season-high 56.84. Chase Simmons finished 25th in triple jump at 43-2.5.
Also competing were Hailey Duncan (100m dash, 200m dash), Zion Harvey (100m dash), Cameron Green (100m dash), Zaire Collins (100m dash, 200m dash), Jonathan Harper (200m dash), Kaleb Kelly (110m hurdles), Davis (100m hurdle, 100m dash) Williams (200m dash), Taylor (200m dash), and Washington (100m prelims, 200m prelims).
The girls’ 1000m sprint medley relay team finished third overall at 2:12.15. The 4x200m relay team placed fifth at 1:38.56 and the sprint medley relay team placed fifth at 4:13.48. The 4×400 relay team placed sixth at 3:58.58. The 4x400m relay team finished 12th at 9:43.25, and the 800m sprint medley relay placed 14th at 1:49.42. The 4x100m relay team placed 32nd in the prelims at 50.91.
The boys’ relay team sprint medley relay team placed 10th at 3:34.94; the 4x400m relay team placed 12th at 3:24.84; the 4x200m relay team placed 15th at 1:28.66; the 1000m sprint medley relay team finished 23rd at 2:01.94.