Roosevelt (Md.) set US #1’s in 4x400 and 4x800
By Christopher Hunt
The faces may be different but this is the same Eleanor Roosevelt. In two days, the girls team competed three relays and left with two nation-leading performances and one that is barely second at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational at the Armory.
“A lot of people thought that we weren’t going to be the same because we lost three people from the relays last year,” senior Tasha Stanley said. “I think it proves that we’re just as good if not better than last year.”
Roosevelt clocked the fastest 4x800 in the country Friday night, winning in 8:59.36, the second-fastest time in U.S. history. Today, started with the rousing in the high school girls 4x200 relay. Doris Anyanwu, Stanley, Jenea McCammon and Afia Charles finished in 1:40.33, the second-fastest time in the country this season. Boys & Girls led the entire race after Nadonnia Rodriquez handed them the lead on the first leg.
Roosevelt stayed on their heels before Boys & Girls built a gap headed into the anchor leg. But Charles, in her first indoor season, zipped down the back straightaway erased the five-meter advantage and overtook the Boys & Girls anchor just off the final curve. Boys and Girls was second in 1:41.31.
“I don’t ever think negative, so I thought I could get her,” Charles said. “This is all new to me. I haven’t even been running track for a year yet so I just come out here and run. I don’t really expect anything.”
But they did expect to win, the same as they expect to win the 4x400 relay – just without all the theatrics. But instead they endured another showdown with Boys & Girls. Meghan Gillispsie and Deandra Nelson made certain to make Roosevelt the chasers. But Roosevelt’s Brittany Ogunmokun and Christian Hickson shadowed their moves for two legs. Then Anyanwu forged ahead.
Anyanwu broke away, Stanley made sure that Boys & Girls’ Rodriquez never had a shot to challenge. Roosevelt won in 3:45.38, the fastest mile the country this season. Boys & Girls placed second in 3:46.25, the second-fastest time in the nation.
“We really expected for us to have the lead from beginning to end, but that didn’t happen,” Stanley said. “But once we got ahead we had it. We came in looking to run 3:44-3:45, so we did exactly what we thought we could do.”
Kevin Malivert (22.3), Chidi Ezemma (22.9), Nick Padilla (22.4) and Mike Abelard (21.4) of Ramapo (N.Y.) won the boys high school 4x200 in 1:29.11, the third-fastest time in the nation this season. Ramapo has built a sprint program in the last two years that has gained momentum and attention. It was their first time at the Collegiate Invitational.
“We had been complaining to our coach (Dan Zotter) that we never ran at this meet and we’ve always wanted to come here,” Abelard said.
“It just feels good.”
Abelard decided the race on the anchor leg, staving off Newburgh Free Academy, which finished second in 1:30.69.
“We all have a really strong bond,” he said. “There’s no question that when we could in here we know we’re going to give it our all.”
Andrew Perkins of Watertown, Wis., won the boys invitational 1,000 in 2:28.64. Perkins dropped a monster finishing kick over the last 150 after settling in with the leaders with two laps remaining. His time is the fastest in the nation this year.
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.