Ashley Bethune of Harding University High School won the 55m hurdles last year at the 4A state championships. She threw down a very quick time of 8.08 which placed her among the top 10 naitonally. She won the 55mH at the Asics Elite Invitational with two times under 8.30. In the prelims Ashley ran 8.29 and then in the finals she hit 8.26. At this point in the season, her times should rank her in the top 5 nationally. Ryan Krais of PA ran a very impressive 8.04 in NY Saturday which looks to be the top time right now.
Ashley is already the 4th ranked 55m hurdler in state history with her 8.08. Cracking 8 seconds and moving up on the All-Time list look to be possibilities this season with her early season 8.26 that is also a top 10 performance in NC history.
Bethune also won the 55m at Llberty University. She clocked a fine time of 7.28 which is the top time in NC thus far. Last year Ashley ran 7.07 at the state championships. She is currently ranked 6th in NC history in the 55m.
Right behind Ashely in the 55m hurdles was another one to the countries best hurdlers. Sherice Walker was a part of a great 1, 2 in the hurdles last year along with Latoya James. Latoya is now at Chapel Hill and Sherice has picked up right where the two left off last year. Walker was 2nd to Bethune with a time of 8.34. She ran 8.16 last year which ranked her among the nation's best and is off to a similar start. Sherice is ranked 6th right now in NC history but should move up with another solid season of hurdling. Sherice was also part of the winning 4x200 team of Cummings High School which broke 1:50 for the first time this indoor season, running 1:49.62. She is also a triple jumper for Cummings. She placed high in this event with a fine jup of 37' 05.50". Look for Sherice to fight for multiple state titles come the state meet.
Spencer Adams of Butler High School had quite a meet at Liberty. Adams finished 2nd at last year's National Outdoor Championships in the 110m hurdles, so he is obviously very talented. Spencer won 3 events at the Asics Elte Invitational, the 55mH, the 55m, and the 300m. His 55mH time of 7.42 is just 9 tenths of a second off his personal best of 7.33. This is a great start for Spencer who is currently ranked 6th in state history in the 55mH. Look for Spencer to move up the list this season.
Spencer won the 55m in 6.55 and the 300 in 36.70. Not nationally ranked times, but impressive for Adams. Both times are personal records for Adams and were part of a great training day for him.
Other NC athletes turned in top performances as well at Liberty. Take a look at them:
* Jacinda Evans of Southern Durham was 2nd to Bethune in the 55m in 7.32. She also won both the long jump and triple jump. What a great day of jumping for her. She jumped 17-05.75 and 37-10.00 for impressive victories.
* Sirrell Butler of Ben L. Smith was 3rd in the 55m in 7.36
* Brittany Wilkins of Cummings jumped well - 17-01.50 in the LJ and 35-06.00 in the TJ
* Parkland's Jessica Morgan jumped at the top, too - 36-03.50 in the TJ and 16-07.25 in the LJ
* Chris Herring of Knightdale ran 6.56 in the 55m
* Jeremy Johnston of Butler ran 6.57 and 37.85 in the 300
* Knightdale won both the 4x200 and 4x400 relays in 1:33.50 and 3:33.48
* Dusty Kenealy of Rockingham County, one of the top returners in the HJ, jumped 6'6"
* Two vaulters jumped 13-6 for 1st and 2nd. Evan Sandling of Rockingham Co. won and Stephen Hodapp of Butler took 2nd.