Mott blazes US#1 58.4 400IH
By Christopher Hunt
SUFFERN – She fell into one of those places where nothing else existed. She only saw straight ahead. She put the whole world on mute and could hear only her own thoughts – the only ones that mattered.
“I didn’t even know anyone else was on the track until I turned around,” New Rochelle’s Elizabeth Mott said.
That may as well have been true. When her coach, Andy Capellan, told her last spring that this season she would be a 400-hurdler, this race was what he envisioned. Mott won the Division I 400-meter hurdles at the Section 1 state qualifier at Suffern High in 58.4 seconds, the fastest scholastic time in the United States this season and nearly a three-second personal best. Her time broke a Section 1 record of 59.8 set by Bronxville’s Deirdre Fleming in 1987.
She cried after the race.
“When I got to the line I was like a horse with blinders on,” said Mott, who also broke a section record in the 400 last week. “I’m definitely going to run 57 soon. I know it’s kind of early to talk like that but I know I’m going to run 57.”
Mott only picked up the 400 hurdles this season but she almost immediately turned into one of the best in the state and Saturday she became the third fastest in New York State history. Her race sets the stage for a showdown at the state championships with World Youth champ Dalilah Muhammad of Cardozo, the state record-holder (57.09).
“I definitely want to come first, even if that means I have to beat the best in the world,” Mott said of the state meet.
White Mott’s performance stole the afternoon, Suffern’s Jen Clayton continued to dominate every event she enters. Clayton won the triple jump in 39 feet, 1 inch, the second best jump in the state this season. Then she won the 200 in 24.3 and anchored Suffern’s winning 4x100 relay that finished in 47.5 after winning the long lump Friday. It was only the second time Clayton competed in the triple jump in an invitational meet.
“It could have been farther but my steps were messed up,” Clayton said. “I kept on looking down because I thought I was going to foul by a lot. But instead of fouling by a lot I would just foul by a little bit.”
Clayton didn’t seem daunted by the fact that she would compete in the 200, long jump, triple jump and 4x100 at the state championships June 13-14 at the University at Buffalo. She said he never set a goal of winning three individual gold medals at the state meet.
“I’m not really excited about it,” she said. “They give everyone the same T-shirt. I just want to get T-shirts for my whole family then we can all go on some family-outing wearing them.”
Teammate Shelby Greany won the 2,000 steeplechase in 6:56.8, then anchored the winning 4x800 relay that finished in 9:10.7.
Kristin Reese of Carmel also won the 1,500 in 4:35.9. Questions had circled that Reese was injured and would not run at all but Reese looked strong and dominate in her race. She did admit to feeling some pain in her right foot though, the same foot where she suffered a stress fracture that seated her all summer.
Reese had an MRI Friday and saw the doctor Wednesday and she said the doctor cleared her to compete but told her that she could be developing the same issue in her foot. The Stanford-bound senior said the state meet will be her last high school race.
“My goal all season has been to win states and run under 4:30 and I really want to do that,” she said. “It’s weird because it doesn’t even hurt. Last year, I was limped and it hurt really bad. I don’t really feel anything.”
Alexis Easterling of Woodlands also showed her versatility, qualifying for the state meet by winning the Division II 200 in 25.1, the 400 in a personal-best 56.7 and the long jump on Friday. She won the Division II state title in the 400 last year.
“My goal is to make federations in all of my events,” she said.
Ramapo again, stood out in the boys sprints. Chidi Ezemma won the Division I 400 in 48.9, holding off Chris Davis of Roosevelt, who finished second in 49.3.
“The last curve felt like forever,” he said. “I didn’t even notice he was there but I felt him coming.”
Teammate Ryan Whitley ran a personal-best winning the Division I 400 hurdles in 54.2, pulling ahead of Hendrick Hudson’s Zach Weisbrot on the finishing stretch.
“My father told me before the race to only focus on one lane and that’s the one I’m in,” he said. “I think I’m the fastest guy out here, so I’m going to be faster in between the hurdles and that’s where I’ll catch them.”
Ramapo also redeemed a tragic finish in the 4x100 last year where Mike Abelard fell during the baton exchange on the anchor leg and they failed to qualify despite having the fastest time in the state. But Saturday, with clean passes, Shaquan Belizare, Nick Padilla, Jermaine Ricketts and Kevin Malivert won in 42.6. Then Whitley, Abelard, Chidi Ezemma and Dozie Ezemma won the 4x400 in 3:18.9, the fastest-time in the state this season.
Scarsdale’s Miles Kerwin, Jacob Wexler, Caleb Duncanson and Julian Sheinbaum won the boys Division I 4x800 in 7:53.3, a school record and the fourth-fastest time in the state this season.
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.