(Photo By Jeff Sides)
Ponte Vedra senior and UNC signee Nicole Greene wasn't too far from her future home when she soared a US#1 5'10" on her first attempt to win the NCRunners Holiday Invitational at the JDL Fast Track in Winston Salem, North Carolina. Greene says it was amazing hitting such an impressive mark and new facility record in her first meet of the season.
"Establishing 5'10" at my first meet this season and almost getting 6'0". I think it was a great experience especially since it was my first indoor meet and I started to triple jump too."
Greene, a two-time state champion in the high jump, dabbled in the triple jump in practice over the past few weeks, but had never competed in the event at a meet, until Saturday. The versatile athlete leaped a US#5 38'-0.5". Coach Eli Sunquist says he has always felt she was way too talented of an athlete to just be a high jumper.
Nicole Greene Post-Meet Interview
Greene wasn't the only Florida athlete competing in the Tarheel State. Coach Eli Sunquist of the Jacksonville Athletic Club also brought up some of his other top jumpers and vaulters including Brittany Bowald and David Bell.
Bowald, a senior at Atlantic Coast, and Jacksonville University signee won the triple jump with a US#2 leap of 38'8.5" from a short approach. She is the reigning 4A state champion in that event and has finished top five the last three years in addition to back to back top five finishes in the long jump.
WATCH: Girls Triple Jump Video
Bishop Kenny's David Bell tied a new personal best in the pole vault with a US#5 mark of 15'6" to finish as runner-up behind Drew Peterson of Apex (NC). The senior was the 2A runner-up last year and will be a favorite for the title this year.
WATCH: David Bell Clears 15'6" (courtesy of Coach Sunquist)
WATCH: David Bell Falls Short Of 16'0" (courtesy of Coach Sunquist)
WATCH: Boys Pole Vault Highlight Video
In addition to those athletes, Sunquist says they had a tremendous showing across the board.
"I was a tad disappointed with our performance in the girls pole vault but extremely pleased otherwise. The goals for all of these kids and every kid in our club is to simply continue to get better. It's no surprise the athletes that are doing the best are the ones who are putting the most time and dedication into it."
Coach Sunquist will be taking a much bigger group to the Jimmy Carnes meet and then the following weekend he will take a group to an indoor invitational at the University of North Carolina with the pole vaulters concluding their season at the Jacksonville Mall Vault hosted by the JAC inside the Avenues Shopping Mall on February 7th. He believes the results now are just a starting point for the season and the main objective is to perform the best at the outdoor state meet.