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Meet Preview - Jimmy Carnes 2015 by Ricky QuintanaPublished by
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: This is the last meet on the storied O’Dome track before renovations begin on the O’Dome later this year that include removing the track
Gainesville, FL- January 22, 2014- 2053 athletes ranging in ages from 4-70 years old will descend on the O’Dome for the final indoor edition of Jimmy Carnes Indoor Track and Field meet on Friday, January 23 and Saturday, January 24. Doors open at 7:00AM on Friday with events beginning at 9:00AM. On Saturday, doors will open at 6:00AM with events beginning at 8:30AM. Admission is $5 for spectators for each day and available at Gate 1 of the O’Connell Center. Parking is free at the O’Connell Center Parking lot.
The meet is run under the auspices of the Gainesville Sports Commission, who’s former director, Jack Hughes, envisioned a track and field meet that would draw competitors from the Southeastern United States and abroad.
“We didn’t think it would ever be as big as it has grown to be,” said meet director Larry Holsey, who with Hughes, came up with the idea. “It is wonderful to see so many competitors.This year’s field is the largest we’ve ever had.”
The meet will kick off with 14 teams and 669 competitors in the College and open competition, and will feature some talented sprinters who are gearing up their training for a chance at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
Headlining the field is Marvin Bracy of Pure Athletics Track Club. The O’Dome has been kind to Bracy as he set the still standing US High School 55 meter Indoor record of 6.08 seconds in the 2012 edition of the meet. Last year, he won the Jimmy Carnes 55 meter dash title in 6.18 seconds before racing to a World Indoor Championship silver medal in the 60 meter dash behind Great Britain’s Richard Kilty in Sopot, Poland.
Also in the 55 meter field is highly decorated star Walter Dix, an FSU alum. Dix was the 2011 World Outdoor Championships 100m and 200m runner up, and 2008 Olympic Games 100m and 200m Bronze medalist. Dix has been injury plagued in recent years, but will look to get back to the form that saw him race to personal bests of 9.88 seconds in the 100m and 19.53 seconds for the 200m.
Eddie Lovett, a Florida alum, will compete in the 55 meter hurdles. The former Florida All-American and NCAA Indoor 60 meter Hurdles Champion begins his post Florida career inside the O’Dome. Lovett owns the Florida school and NCAA Indoor meet record in the 60m hurdles with a time of 7.50 seconds.
On the women’s side, speedy Shalonda Solomon, will toe the line in the 55m dash. Solomon was the 2011 USA Outdoor 200m Champion in the USA Indoor 60m bronze medalist. She’ll be tested by 2008 World Indoor 60m silver medalist, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott.
Another Florida Alum, Ugonna Ndu, will be favored in the 55meter hurdles. Ndu own the 4th fastest time in school Florida school history in the 60m Hurdles and owns the school record in the outdoor 400m hurdles.
As in past years, a bevy of talented athletes including State and National Champions, World Championship medalist, State and National record holders and a World Record holder will be on hand to display their talents on the super-fast Mondo surface for Saturday’s Youth competition. 1384 have entered, the largest in meet history.
Arguably, the fastest of these stellar athletes on the girl’s side is Teahna Daniels of First Academy in Orlando, FL. The sprint sensation won last year’s Jimmy Carnes 55 meter dash in 6.94 seconds and claimed titles in the Pepsi Florida, Texas Relays, FHSAA 1A Track Finals, and Golden South Classic 100m dashes. Her best of 11.31seconds earned her Track and Field News’ 100m All American honors and a scholarship to the University of Texas. A time of 6.85 seconds or better will eclipse the meet record set by current University of Florida athlete Shayla Sanders (Lauderdale Lakes, Boyd Anderson) in 2012. The national high school indoor leader is Brenessa Thompson’s (Evers, Brooklyn, NY) 6.95 seconds.
In the longer sprints, a young up and comer and a University of Florida signee will duke it out for the 200m and 400m titles. Sharrika Barnett of Orlando Oak Ridge signed with the #1 Gators and will start her track campaign against Miami Southridge’s sophomore wunderkind, Symone Mason, winner of last summer’s AAU Junior Olympics 100m, 200m and 400m dashes. Both have personal best better than the US High School Indoor leaders- Danyel White’s(Cedar Hill, TX) 24.17 seconds in the 200m and Amanda Crawford’s(Robeson, Brooklyn, NY) 54.95 seconds in the 400m. The meet records are held by Shayla Sanders (Fort Lauderdale, Boyd Anderson), 23.89 seconds (2012), and Erin Ford (Royal Palm Beach), 56.51 seconds (2013).
In mid distance events, Emma Rudman of Fort Walton Beach, last year’s #2 1600m Florida performer, 4 minutes 53.46 seconds, and this year’s top 1600m returnee will showcase her talents in the 800m and 1 mile runs. She’ll be challenged by 2014 FHSAA 2A 1600m runner-up and 3200m champion junior, Mackenzie Wilson (Jacksonville Bolles) in the 1 mile run and teammate Brooke Crane in the 800m run. The 1 mile meet record is held by Stephanie Strasser, Fernandina Beach High and Florida Alum who ran 5:04.16 in 2010.
The fastest 800 entrant of the field though will come from the younger age groups. Sophomore Kayla Johnson (Miami Southridge) boasts a 2 minutes 14.23 seconds personal best which is better than the 2:16.84 2011 meet record of 2:16.84 held by Shara Fletcher of Westminster (Atlanta, GA).
Friday night’s 3000 meter run starts off the age group competition. Talbot elementary 5th grader, Ani Veltcheva, the 9 year old 5K World Record Holder, 18 minutes 47.1 seconds, will take aim at the shorter 3000m run. She won last year’s 1 mile in 5:50. Mackenzie Wilson enters with the top time in the 3000m and has a best of 10:50.90 in the longer 3200m run.
In the field events, Carson Dingler of First Presbyterian (Macon GA) will bring her talents once again to the Jimmy Carnes Indoor Track and Field Meet. Dingler posted a mark of 8 feet 8.25 inches in the 2010 edition, but since has soared to a personal best of 13 feet 0 inches. Along the way she has set the US 14 year old record of 12 feet 8 inches and won AAU Junior Olympics, USATF Junior Olympics, and GISA titles. She is currently ranked #12 in the US Indoor High School list with a mark of 12 feet 6 inches. With a clearance of 12 feet 4 inches or better, she’ll supplant Erica Sergeant’s (Lake Mary) meet record set in 2013.
Brittany McGee (St. Pete, Admiral Farragut) is the top long jumper in the field. Her best of 19 feet 5 inches set in winning the Golden South Classic would easily outdistanced Derrenae Freeman’s (West Orange) 18 feet 10.25 inch meet record set in 2012.
The boys’ field has been a coming out party for the most talented sprinters. This year’s meet should be no different.
2013 IAAF World Youth Championship 400 meter dash silver medalist, Ryan Clark (College Park, GA, Banneker), owns the fastest 60m dash indoor time in the nation, 6.78, and will highly favored to win the 200m and 400m dash titles. His best of 20.82 and 46.33 easily outpace this year’s US High School leading times of 21.36, Andrew Hudson (Cibolo, TX, Steele) and 47.76, Rai Benjamin (Mount Vernon, NY). The meet records are held by current Gator, Arman Hall (Fort Lauderdale, St. Thomas Aquinas) in the 200m, 21.62 in 2012 and Austin Holliman (Decatur, GA, Southwest DeKalb) in the 400m, 48.62, in 2008.
Sophomore Damion Thomas sped to an 8.09 to place 1st at the LSU Indoor Classic which was good for the #9 mark in the US. That knocked off 0.14 seconds off last year’s mark in winning the Jimmy Carnes meet. The meet record of 7.45 by Bruce Barclay (Lauderdale Lakes, Boyd Anderson) set in 2012 and the national leader is 7.23 by Grant Holloway of Chesapeake, VA Grassfield.
In the middle distances, Jack Rogers (Tampa, Robinson), a University of Florida commitment enters with the best marks in the 800m and 1600 runs. Max Robinson, a senior out of Altamonte Springs, Lake Brantley is a step behind Roger’s best in the 800m. In the mile, William Aman (Lake Mary) and Trey Lanasa (Fort Walton Beach) and University of Florida commitment, and Harper Sigler (Bogart, GA, North Oconee) are all within 5 seconds of Rogers best and could contest for the title.
Friday night’s top entrant in the 3000m James Zentmeyer of Tampa Sickles owns the fastest 3200m time of the field, 9:23.85. He also owns the fastest 5k time of 15:18. The vault competition has always posted some great marks. This year’s field may be the most competitive and talented ever.
Drew McMichael of Fort Myers Evangelical Christian soared to 16 feet 0 inches at this summer’s FPVA Beach Vault and enters with the best mark. He posted 15 feet 0 inch clearance in last year’s Jimmy Carnes to take second. Close behind him is David Bell of Jacksonville Bishop Kenny. Bell was only third in last year’s Jimmy Carnes with a 13-06, but at the NCRunners Holiday Classic, he scaled to a personal best of 15 feet 6 inches which was good enough for #22 best mark in the nation. Cayman Ellis’s (St. Petersburg) meet record is 16 feet 0 inches set in 2013 which could fall in this hotly contested event.
A list highlights of entered athletes is attached.
More detailed information can be found on the Gainesville Sports Commission site at http://www.gainesvillesportscommission.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/GSCJimmyCarnes2015Indoor.pdf A full schedule follows Open / University/Master (Friday, January 23) 9:00am Women’s Pentathlon, Weight Throw (W followed by M) 10:00am High Jump (Men Only) 11:00am Long Jump (W followed by M) 11:00am 55m Hurdles (W-M) – PRELIM 11:30am 55m Dash (W, M) - PRELIM 12:30pm 55m Hurdles (M-W)-FINAL 12:50pm 55m Dash (W, M)-FINAL 1:20pm 1 Mile (W, M) 2:00pm 400m Dash (W, M) 2:00pm Shot Put (W followed by M), Triple Jump (W followed by M) 2:45pm 800m Run (W, M) 3:30pm 200m Dash (W, M) 4:15pm 3000m Run (W, M) 5:15pm 4x400m Relay (W, M) 5:30pm DMR Relay (W, M) 6:00pm 3000m Run (G, B) [11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18]
Saturday Order for ages 14 and under of Events (Rolling Schedule):
8:30am Start: Pole Vault (G-B) [13, 14, 15-16, 17-18] 8:30am Start 14 and under: Long Jump (G-B) [4-6, 7-8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13-14] Shot Put (B-G) [4-6, 7-8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13-14] Afternoon Session (Rolling Schedule) Tentative Start Time 12:00pm 55m Hurdles G-B) [11, 12, 13, 14] 55m Dash (G-B) [4-6, 7-8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14] 1 Mile Run (G-B) [9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14] 400m Dash (G-B) [7-8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14] 800m Run (G-B) [9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14] 200m Dash (G-B) [4-6, 7-8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14]
Saturday Order for ages 15 and up of Events (Rolling Schedule): 8:30am Start: Pole Vault (G-B) [13, 14, 15-16, 17-18] 8:30am Start 15 and up: 1 Mile Run (G-B) [15-16, 17-18] 200m Dash (G-B) [15-16, 17-18] 800m Run (G-B) [15-16, 17-18] 400m Dash (G-B) [15-16, 17-18] 55m Dash (G-B) [15-16, 17-18] 55m Hurdles (G-B) [15-16, 17-18] Afternoon Session (Rolling Schedule) Tentative Start Time 12:00pm Long Jump (G-B) [15-16, 17-18] Shot Put (B-G) [15-16, 17-18] Media Contact: Ricky Quintana ### More news |
