South Dade Express won the Championship 800m SMR National title at New Balance National Outdoor this weekend in a smoking time of 1:43.58 to edge out Ohio's Twinsburg Track Club who finished second in a 1:44.03.
Place Team Time Sec (pl) 1 SOUTH DADE EXPRESS TC-FL 14SX A 1:43.58 7 (1) 2 TWINSBURG TC-OH TWIN A 1:44.03 7 (2) 3 HUNTINGTON TC-NY HUNT A 1:45.07 6 (1) 4 WINSLOW TOWNSHIP TC-NJ WIT2 A 1:45.17 7 (3) 5 RANCOCAS VALLEY TC-NJ RV A 1:45.56 6 (2) 6 WHITMAN TC-NY WAWH A 1:46.37 1 (1) 7 RIDGE VIEW TC-SC RIVI A 1:46.60 2 (1) 8 DURHAM STRIDERS TC-NC 13DS A 1:46.61 (1:46.608)
D'aja Lordeus, Shakell Williams, Rayniah Jones, and Alyssa Jones ran a national leading time in the event and have had extremely strong seasons this past spring.
FHSAA 4A 100m hurdle state champion, Alyssa Jones, came off a "bump" in the 100m hurdle prelims the day prior where she ran a 14.06 to finish 13th and miss the qualifying mark for finals the next day. She came back and felt strong in the 800m SMR with her teammates.
"I was just trying to make sure that I had the baton and that our exchange was moving so we wouldn't have to slow down to give it to Alyssa in a great position," third leg, Rayniah Jones, said.
D'aja Lordeus and Shakell Williams took the first two 100m legs of the relay, and with PR's of 12.61 and 12.36 these ladies were in a strong position to handoff well and get the baton to Jones for a smooth 200m leg.
Lordeus, Williams, and Jones worked together to get a lead heading into the 400m leg.
"For the fourth leg, I really wanted to maintain the great lead my team got me. On the last curve, it was a little bumpy with the other team who was right next to me. I just had to push through. I got out fast because our coach tells us to start the race sprinting," Alyssa Jones said.
Rayniah Jones is the only graduating senior out of the four talented ladies and she will head off to the University of Central Florida next year to continue her academic and athletic careers as a Knight. Lordeus and Williams will be reigning seniors for South Dade Express and Miami Southridge next season with Jones as a reigning sophomore following her FHSAA 4A high jump state title this season.