In the 60m Hurdle Prelims at the 2/11 PTFCA Track Carnival, Queen set
a meet record and PR of 7.98, and then went 8.02 in the Finals.
(photo by PennTrackXC.com)
Carrington Queen had room to spare as he charged down the homestretch of Lehigh University's Rauch Fieldhouse indoor track en route to a personal best in the 200-meter dash on Saturday February 11th.
The Chichester High senior clocked 22.83, marking the second time that day he ran a PR at the PTFCA Carnival. Earlier he ran 7.98 in the 60 hurdles to set a new meet record.
He was named boys athlete of the meet for his efforts.
"It's my best meet ever," Queen said after winning the 200. "I didn't think I would do that well because I've been working real hard this week."
At six foot, three inches, the University of Florida-bound Queen looks more like the Division I athlete he'll soon become rather than the top high school sprinter/hurdler he currently is.
Talking to him doesn't give away his youth either as Queen is focused on a select few things this winter - defending his indoor 60-meter hurdles title at the upcoming state meet in a record-setting performance before coming back later to medal in the 200 and medaling (or even winning) in the hurdles at the Nike national meet in Maryland next month. He was eighth in the hurdles at last year's Nike meet.
Breaking records is something Queen's become accustomed to this winter as Saturday 's 60 hurdle clocking is his fifth meet record this season.
His hurdles time currently ranks him fourth in the nation, according to www.dyestat.com.
Queen has been chipping away at his hurdle time all season and is currently undefeated in the 55 and 60-meter hurdles, but his 200 time shattered his previous best of 23.07.
"That was just another gift," said Chichester coach Jim Fewell. The time may also make Queen a contender for the 200 as well at next month's state meet. Last year he just missed making the finals.
"We're trying to coach him to be more than just a hurdler but to be a track athlete," Fewell said.
That's working pretty well as Queen has personal bests of 52.4 in the 400 and 2:08 in his 800 debut, although he wasn't too keen on the longer event.
Queen set a PR in winning the 200, going 22.83.
(photo by PennTrackXC.com)
Having Queen on the team has "definitely been a blessing," Fewell said, especially since Queen transferred to Chichester from Coatesville for his sophomore year after his father moved the family closer to his job.
"I told my dad I'd never heard of Chichester and I wasn't expecting to do well," Queen said.
He did better than well as he qualified for states as a sophomore and won the indoor state title for the 60 hurdles last year before capturing the outdoor 300 intermediate hurdles.
Once indoors is over Queen will begin his quest of defending his 300 title as well as redeeming himself from a fall in last year's 100 high hurdles.
Then he'll be off to Gainesville where he'll be one of just a few hurdlers. He said he never expected to receive a full scholarship but now he has dreams of running professionally.
If that doesn't happen he's got another talent - designing clothes and shoes - to fall back on.
Queen said he hopes to major in business at Florida with the idea of possibly turning his sketchbook full of clothing and shoe designs into his own business.
He'll get his first start with that in March as he plans to design shirts for Chichester's annual relay meet.