Metro Track and Field Championships Day 1: Agony & Ecstasy
- North’s Brianna McGhee crumples to ground in pain after crossing the finish line in her 200m heat.
The opening day of the 2011 Omaha Metro Track and Field Meet pulled mightily on both ends of the of the emotional spectrum for athletes and fans alike.
Agony
Perhaps no event on Tuesday tugged harder on the emotional string as witnessing 2010 all-class gold 200 meter champion Brianna McGhee briefly pull up and almost stop just before entering turn two in the 4th heat of the girls 200 prelims. McGhee managed to right herself and bravely continued the nearly 100 meters to the tape where she collapsed while crossing the finish line in 2nd place—posting a time that was not good enough to make Wednesday’s finals. The fact that Brianna was able to finish the race at all indicates that more than likely she was cramping up or suffered a very mild muscle pull.
- North’s Breunna McCarty’s 12.07 100 was best of the day.
Ecstasy
Bellevue West senior Mark Seeba broke the Metro Meet record in the pole vault, clearing the bar at 15-1.
Mach Dojiok of Benson won the boys 800m in 1:54.30, lowering his PR and state leading time and moving ever so close to making the all-time charts.
Millard South’s Clara Nichols turned in another PR (55.64) in the 400m to continue her climb up the all-time charts to the No. 4 spot. Nichols also had the best 200m time (25.58) and second best 100m of the day. The Metro Meet record in the 400m is 55.36, set in 1993 by Angee Henry of Bellevue West. Henry’s ’93 Metro Meet time also happens to be the girls 400m all-time best. (Correction from initial posting, this was a final).
Noteworthy Performance of the Day:
She may not have come close to making the all-time charts but Breunna McCarty did post a PR and one of the fastest electronic-timed girls 100m in several years when she smoked a 12.07 in her heat. She will be tough to beat on Wednesday.
Kenzo Cotton is for real! The Papillion-La Vista freshman breezed to the best time of the day in the 200 (22.25). Cotton demonstrated nice form and seemed very relaxed and strong coming down the stretch. If Cotton keeps his focus and maintains a strong work ethic his name will appear high up on the all-time charts, before his high school career is over. I like him—a lot!
- Central’s Dennis Barfiled (right) out duels Millard West’s Nash Beaudin (center) and North’s Terry Grigsby in heat 6 to win boys Metro 400m championship.
The Boys 400 meter lived up to the hype. In the final heat Central’s Dennis Barfield edged Terry Grigsby (North) and Nash Beaudin (Millard West), crossing the finish line in 49.30. Grigsby and Beaudin crossed the tape at 49.57. The times were PRs for all three boys. (Correction from initial, posting this was a final).
Ted Lampkin (Central) looked good in his 100m heat as he blazed to an easy 10.90 victory to lead all final qualifiers and he also won the boys triple jump (46-1).
LaQue Moen-Davis won the long jump (18-11) and high jump (5-7) and lead all 100 HH final qualifiers with her time of (14.58).
Other Metro Track and Field Results
- Kenzo Cotton (right) after winning his heat in the 100m. The Papillion-La Vista freshman qualified for the 100 finals and he posted the fastet 200m time of the day.
Millard South senior Ashley Kildow claimed the girls 800 crown with a time of 2:25.28. Jordan Holst (Millard West ) won the girls shot put (41-101/2); Millard West’s Drew Staskiewicz took the boys discus; Papillion-La Vista South’s Eric Weers upset Marshall Anderson (Paillion-La Vista) to win the boys 3200 (9:39.55) and Millard West junior Sidney Hirsch easily won the girls 3200m in PR fashion (11:02.41).
Metro Track and Field Day 1 Highlights Video
Featuring: Ted Lampkin 100m, LaQue Moen-Davis high jump; 400 Meter sprinter Clara Nichols, freshman phenom Kenzo Cotton 200m; girls 100 sprinter Breunna McCarty and Omaha Central 400m sprinter Dennis Barfield .
