Two golds, two records for Cheltenham's Brissett at state track championships
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Chanel Brissett isn't likely to shrink from a challenge. After all, wilting during adversity doesn't help you qualify for the U.S. Olympic track and field trials as a junior in high school.
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Chanel Brissett isn't likely to shrink from a challenge.
After all, wilting during adversity doesn't help you qualify for the U.S. Olympic track and field trials as a junior in high school.
Before Saturday afternoon's PIAA track and field championships at Shippensburg, however, the Cheltenham phenom was tested. After banging her knee on a hurdle during Friday's 100-meter hurdle preliminaries, Brissett was forced to pull out of the 200 dash later that day.
All she did on Saturday was win the Class 3A 100 hurdles in record time and anchor Cheltenham's 4x100 relay team while helping set another record.
"Basically, I just tried to tell myself I wasn't going to feel the pain," said Brissett, a provisional qualifier in the 100 hurdles for the Olympic trials. "I was going to push through whatever I felt, and I wasn't going to stop. I was really determined to win this race."
Brissett called the semifinal misstep "humbling."
Her time of 13.19 seconds in the 100 hurdles set a new PIAA championship record, and Cheltenham's time of 45.78 seconds set another state record in the 4x100 relay.
Cheltenham's Ciara Leonard (now at the University of Virginia) set the 100 hurdles mark last year at 13.35 seconds. Harry S Truman previously set the 4x100 relay record in 1999 with a time of 46.39 seconds.
Brissett praised her relay teammates, Bria Barnes, Brielle Lewis, and Alexis Crosby.
"It's phenomenal," Brissett said. "We never would have thought we'd go 45.7! Our goal was 45.99, just to be close. We were all shocked. I was shocked. It's a great feeling. It just lets us know that our hard work is showing."
On the heels of history
Bob Herncane had been a race starter at the PIAA track and field championships from 1984 until 2010, so several great competitors have dashed before his eyes.
On Saturday afternoon at Shippensburg, however, Girard College High freshman Thelma Davies passed Herncane in the Class 2A 100 dash faster than any girl in history.
"Wow," Herncane said, shaking his head on the infield as Davies' time of 11.59 seconds was announced. "Wow."
Davies shared his exact sentiments.
"Wow. That's all I have to say," she said. "I'm blessed. I'm really blessed."
Davies, who turned 16 earlier this month, bested the previous record (11.78) set by Olympian Lauryn Williams of Rochester in 2001.
Davies also came within range of Marion Jones' all-time national record of 11.14, set in 1992.
"It makes me feel great," she said. "I feel like I made my school proud, my coach proud, my family, everyone. I just feel happy."
Thrice charmed
Imhotep junior sprinter Ade Roundtree has had himself a year.
During indoor track season, Roundtree won a PIAA championship in the 60-meter dash. During football season, he helped the Panthers become the first Public League team to ever win a football state championship.
Then on Saturday at Shippensburg, Roundtree helped the Panthers claim gold once more, winning the Class 2A 4x100 relay in 42.52 seconds.
"It's very satisfying, knowing I went two years without anything, and I didn't know if I would ever get a state championship," Roundtree said. "After [winning] football, I just realized how I really had to work hard to get to a state championship."
His teammates were Kristian Marche, Chris Wells, and Tyrone Phillips. Roundtree plays running back and cornerback on the Panthers football team. March and Wells also play football.
@AceCarterINQ