Girls' Sprints/Hurdles Preview
60 Meter Dash
Girard College's Thelma Davies will look to continue her terrific sophomore season at NBNI in the event where she made a huge splash on the national scene last year. A year ago, Davies took down the national freshman record in the 60 meters in a time of 7.37 (still Davies' PR). Davies enters as US#3 with Alabama's Jayla Kirkland and Texas's Sydney Washington posting times quicker this season.
Davies ran 7.38 last weekend to win the state title. At indoor states, she was recovering from a sickness and was skittish on the start line after a near false start from the field. With a good start, Davies will definitely be in the mix with her incredible top speed. She could be looking at a national title here.
Photo by Patty Morgan
60 Meter Hurdles
One of the meet's premiere events will be the girls' 60 meter hurdles, which features Cheltenham's Chanel Brissett, who will be chasing more history in the event.
Brissett ran a PR of 8.14 to break her own PA state record in the event at last week's state meet. With fewer events on her slate this weekend, it's certainly reasonable to expect another big drop in time for Brissett. She was third in the event last year behind Tonea Marshall, who ran 8.02 to break the national record. Does Brissett have that in her this year?
But just winning this event will be no easy task for Brissett. She'll be pushed by US#2 Tara Davis and US#3 Kaylah Robinson, both from California, as well as outdoor 100 meter hurdle national record holder Tia Jones from Georgia. Regardless of who wins, expect some fast times all around and possibly an all-time best mark.
Also in the field from PA is PA#3 Madison Langley-Walker, PA#4 Christina Warren of Perkiomen Valley, and PA#7 Jayla Ellis of Oakland Catholic.
200 Meters
Paul Robeson's Tikki Wise is the lone PA entry in the championship section of the one-lapper. Wise, who transferred from Del Val Charter before the start of this season, took sixth at the PA state meet, running 24.94. Lynna Irby from Indiana enters as the top seed, having run 23.70 this season.
400 Meters
After taking second at the PA state meet, Cheltenham's Alexis Crosby will look for a big race in the quarter mile at NBNI. She's the only PA entry here. The overwhelming favorite is Union Catholic (NJ)'s Sydney McLaughlin, who competed at the Olympics in Rio this past summer. Crosby, who sits at US#20 will look for a drop in time from the 55.61 she ran back in January at Kevin Dare.