By Christopher Hunt
UNIONDALE – It’s been awhile since Roosevelt’s Dale McDonald has run races without a hitch in his step. Two weak hamstrings meant that almost every time he raced one leg or the other would cry out in pain. So McDonald went were he could get the most support.
He went to the cheerleaders.
Years of soccer left the Jamaican-born McDonald with quadriceps that were more developed than his hamstrings which creates a muscle imbalance. In other words, his hamstrings weren’t strong enough to handle his speed and sprinting was tearing his legs up. Repeated hamstring strains always restrained McDonald but since the start of the winter track season McDonald has been stretching with the cheerleading team at Roosevelt High.
“They got me doing splits and everything,” McDonald said.
The intense stretching routine along with extra strength training for his hamstrings has McDonald feeling healthy for the first time in a long time. He won the 400 meters at the Knight Time Invitational at Uniondale High Saturday in 50.4. He tacked on a win in the 100 in 10.8 and ran a dynamic second leg on Roosevelt’s victorious 4x100 relay.
“I feel great,” McDonald said. “I remember winter track, watching everyone running healthy and going to the state meet. I made the state meet but I wasn’t healthy.”
McDonald advanced to the finals of the 300 meters at the winter state championships but pain in both hamstrings forced him to watch the final instead of race in it. Thanks to an invitation from cheerleading coach Emarinsie Funderburke, McDonald show no signs of pain Saturday or earlier in the week when he won the 400 at the Derrick Adkins Classic Monday in 49.2, the second-fastest time in the state this season.
A wall-like wind dragged down the Northeastern University-bound McDonald in the 400. The wind was strong enough that it pushed over hurdles during the trial heats and forced all the straightaway races to be run in the opposite direction.
But somehow the gusts didn’t seem to bother Westbury’s Darnelle Mickens. The senior tempered an impossible wind to claim the invitational 200 in a meet record 21.5, the fastest time in the state this season.
“I wanted to break the record,” Mickens said. “When I finished my coach said he had me at 21.9. I didn’t even think I’d be that close.”
Not even Mickens could believe he had run so fast considering the wind and the fac that he had already run the 400 leg of Westbury’s sprint medley relay. Either way that kind of performance into a blowing headwind is a tremendous exhibition. Especially for Mickens, who broke his pelvis coming out of the starting blocks in his first meet of the winter season last year. Mickens missed the entire winter and season track seasons his junior year.
“He has unbelievable power,” Westbury coach Don Ross said. “This is one of those rare kids. This is a jewel.”
Westbury had the most success of the meet, which was crushed by the Easter holiday forcing many meets to be contested at the same time this weekend. Owen Skeet was a double-winner for Westbury. He won the 1,600 in 4:38.3 after winning the 3,200 earlier in 9:56.5, taking both races by blowing away the field in the first 150 meters, a practice that’s made him one of the most recognized front-runners in the state.
“I wanted to get out hard like I always do,” Skeet said. “I just wanted to maintain a consistent pace in the middle and finish strong. I wanted to break 9:40 again but I’m happy to get a win.”
Westbury’s Marlene Ricketts won the triple jump in 38-6.25. The triple jumpers had the luxury of competing with a tailwind but Ricketts was disappointed that she couldn’t take advantage.
“I think I could have done better,” she said. “I wanted to jump at least 39 feet. My phases were breaking down. “
Ricketts leads the state with a 38-9.25 jump last week and holds a personal best of 40-0.25.
“I feel like this is a good start,” she said. “I think I’m going to improve a lot this season.”
Baldwin senior James Lowe echoed Ricketts thoughts on improving this season. He won the 110 hurdles in 14.9 but earned a career-best 14.6 in the semifinal round. Lowe first set his personal best at the Derrick Adkins Classic Monday in 14.8.
“My coach told me not to let that be my PR for the season,” Lowe said. “I didn’t have a great start today but I normally get faster after the third hurdle. I know I can run faster.”
Brentwood’s Donna Jeanty won the girls 400 hurdles in 64.5. Karl Desil of Baldwin won the boys 400 hurdles in 58.7.
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.