By Christopher Hunt
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Sancho Barrett said he is not completely healthy yet. But if he isn’t 100 percent yet, whenever he is, Barrett could be scary good.
The Amityville senior ended the indoor season as a forgotten man. A poorly-timed hamstring strain kept him out of the state meet and invisible at the national championships. That problem is apparently gone.
Barrett finished second in the 110 hurdles in 14.23 seconds Saturday at the Taco Bell Classic at Spring Valley High. His performance is the best in New York State so far this season and ranked 19th in the country.
The defending outdoor state champ didn’t just prove his health put his stake in the ground as the best hurdler in the state.
“As far as being 100 percent, I feel like I still have a lot more to give,” Barrett said. “It felt like my first race back. I wouldn’t say it was horrible but it wasn’t bad.”
Barrett injured his right hamstring at the Section 11 state qualifier in February and missed his chance to take on Sheepshead Bay’s Richmond Ahadzi for the state championship. The he failed to advance from the prelims in the 60-meter hurdles at the New Balance Indoor Nationals. With almost a month since his last race, Barrett had the rest he needed to let his leg heal and he made his season debut less than a second off his personal best of 14.14.
“To be able to start the season so close to how I ended last year just tells me how strong I am,” Barrett said.
Medgar Evers senior Adrian Lewis is off to an equally quick start. Lewis placed second in the 400 hurdles in 55.18, more than a second faster than his best last spring.
Lewis led the race in the home stretch before Erin Jenkins of Vance (N.C.) tracked him down over the last two hurdles.
“That home stretch is really long,” Lewis said with a laugh.
The senior only started hurdling last year but has knows he’s found his niche. Lewis is considering Penn State and Coppin State.
“It’s just strength,” Lewis said. “That’s what I’m working on. I’m going to keep working on my strength and endurance and I’ll keep getting better.”
Medgar Evers also finished second in the boys 4x100 in 41.91, the fastest time in New York State this season.