Liberty University, VA - Senior Sammy Watson (Rush-Henrietta) opened up what looks to be a record breaking weekend down in the Virginia. Competing in the first annual VA Showcase, Watson took down one of the older sprint records on the books by winning the event in 1:11.75. The win also continues an unprecedented winning-streak over the past two years, which has included both National and Global finals.
The rarely run 500m dash, contested in many other parts of the country, is forgone for the 600m in New York State. However, the All-Time List's contain some famous names atop the rankings. And yet, Sammy Watson has surpassed them all.
The original record was set in 2003, by a then up-and-coming Natasha Hastings (AP Randolph). She already had a National Record in the Sprint Medley Relay (ironically, Watson was on the relay that broke that mark two years ago), and was ready to run fast. Hastings would take the record as a Junior, then follow it up with a Senior Class Record the year after. Number 3 on the All-Time list is Dalilah Muhammad (Benjamin Cardozo), who was more of a hurdler outdoors. The Top 3 athletes in the event all hail from the PSAL.
Hastings and Muhammad may be familiar names to those who watched the 2016 Rio Olympics. Muhhammad would win the Gold Medal in the 400m Hurdles, while Hastings would take Gold in the 4x400m, as well as 4th overall in the 400m. Good company to be in for Watson.
Sammy Watson will come back this afternoon to contest the 1000m, in what may be the toughest competition of her career, so far.
