CHRIS GARRETT
Although it was a bit windy at the time, I managed to talk to Chris Garrett after his great performance at the Winter Super Meet. Chris won the 1600 and finished second in the 3200 there. This came on the heels of a very strong cross country season, which concluded with a 15:19 PR at Footlocker South. Chris explains that he didn't always think of himself as a championship-caliber runner, and talks about how he has worked hard to get to this level!
Link to Chris' Athlete Profile
ALESIA REESE
This was my first interview as the new webmaster, and though I think I sound a bit shaky, Alesia does great! I think Alesia flies a bit under the radar screen in her state, but she has had four top-five finishes in state meet competition (including two seconds) over the past two years. I know she will be gunning to finally break through with a state title in either the 1600 or 3200 this spring! Alesia has gotten consistently better over the past two years, and she looks like the type of athlete who can continue to improve through college as well.
Link to Alesia's Athlete Profile
SARAH RAPP
Cardinal Gibbons senior distance runner Sarah Rapp has been a houshold name in the North Carolina running community for years now. After her amazing performance at the Winter Track state meet, where she pulled off the distance triple, she is now 4 for 4 in the state championships this school year (she won the 3A cross country title in November). That brings her total to 11 individual state titles and counting! She's also a really enjoyable person, seemingly always wearing a bright smille when you see her off the track, sharing positive moments with runners and coaches from other teams. She will take her trail of scorched tracks and friendly smiles with her to Virginia Tech to continue her career in the ACC.
Link to Sarah's athlete profile
ANTHONY BYNUM
There were many big names missing from the NCHSAA Winter Super Meet, but most of those athletes chose not to attend. Not so for Hopewell's senior sprinter Anthony Bynum, who was forced to sit out due to a foot injury. I caught up with him at East Tennessee State University, where he was testing out his foot after some significant time off. Although he put up a superb 21.93 in the prelims on those tight turns, his injury wouldn't let him run in the finals, and it ruled him out of the state meet, as well. Anthony would have been seeded #1 in the 4A 300, with a hand-timed 33.9. Here's hoping that he gets completely healthy and contributes to an even more competitive spring season!
Link to Anthony's athlete profile
SEQUOIA WATKINS
Here's a fact about our sport: the field events don't get enough respect, and that's especially true of the throws. At a lot of venues you have to leave the stadium to watch the shot and discus, but it's worth the hike when you get to see amazing athletes making heavy objects fly a long way through the air! If you really follow the sport, you know the name Sequoia Watkins from her two state titles in the discus. The T. C. Roberson senior added her first shot title at the NCHSAA Winter Super Meet, and she also gave a great interview! Sequoia is energetic and fun to talk to, and she has already begun to learn the collegiate rotational throws (25-lb weight and hammer). Girls (and guys) out there, take note: love the power clean!
Link to Sequoia's athlete profile
KNIGHTDALE BOYS
The Knightdale boys team was impressive in competition at the Winter State Meet, and they're also impressive in an interview. You can really see the discipline and unity these guys have when you watch them on this video! They were also very patient with me, as they waited through the announcement of the 4A Girls championship before they could take the stand themselves. I talked to their five seniors (Mar-Keo Jones; Joshua Dunston; Burkheart Ellis, Jr.; Devin Johnson; and Timothy Hardy) about their college plans and their goals for the spring. This is clearly a focused, hard-working group that wants to make the most of their senior year together!
Link to the Knightdale team page
CARY GIRLS' 4X800
The Cary girls 4x800 is the perfect example of the sum being greater than the parts. Although separately they are all very good runners, together they form the most dominant girls 4x800 in the history of the state, and one of the most dominant in any relay. Consider: they own the four fastest indoor times in state history, and four of the top 6 outdoor times (and they have their sights set squarely on the outdoor #1 all-time)! They have also won three straight indoor/winter state titles, as well as last year's outdoor title. I got to talk to Deanna Foshee, Erin Foshee, a sleepy Sheridan Jordan, and Jenna Christensen a bit before they ran the 4x4 at the Winter State Meet.
DEMARI BOSWELL
Demari represents many of the best things about track & field. He didn't burst onto the scene with an amazing display of natural talent; instead he worked hard and improved significantly each year of his career. He doesn't draw unnecessary attention to himself; instead, he seems quietly confident and humble for an athlete of his talent level. He doesn't shy away from the longer sprints, either, even though he has developed impressive speed. I talked to him at ETSU, where he had an equally impressive day: 7.08 for the 60, 22.21 for 200, and 49.90 for 400. We talked about his coaches and his workouts, and it's plain to see that Western Carolina has a great prospect on the way next year!
Link to Demari's athlete profile!
JULIE SWAIM
This time two years ago, Julie Swaim was just finishing her first running season ever. She had run the 1600 in 7:21.10 that season, and she went on to post a best time of 2:40 in the 800 in the spring of 2009. Her first cross country season came as a junior, and she ended with a time of 20:00.7. Last year at this time, she had improved all the way to 5:25 in the 1600. She tried the 3200 for the first time last spring, debuting with a time of 11:31.59, and improved to 11:10.31. Her second cross country season saw her finish 11th in the 4A state meet, and she went on to a PR of 18:00.6 at Footlocker South. Now, Julie is the 4A state champion in the 3200, having run 11:10.31 in windy conditions at the Winter SuperMeet, and she has the 6th-fastest time in state history (5:06.54) in the mile. If you want to see this meteoric rise in visual terms, click on the link to her profile and look at her performance graphs! Julie talked with me after her victory, and she gave a great interview as well. Only one question remains unanswered: how much better can she get for the Tar Heels?
Link to Julie's athlete profile!
DAISAUN WHITE
Another tip of the cap to the field events here! Daisaun White has been a key player in Asheville High's run of three straight state titles (2 winter, and 1 spring). He now has two individual titles of his own, after winning the triple jump last spring and again this winter. Oh, and he's not too bad in the long jump, either, where he finished second in the 1A-2A-3A state meet this winter! Like many great triple jumpers I've seen, he's not the biggest guy or the fastest guy, but he gets it done with hard work and strong technique. The triple is arguably the highest-impact event in all of track and field, and it takes resilience and patience (and a lot of soreness!) to become a state champion there. We'll all be watching to see if Daisaun can join the list of 50-foot jumpers this spring!
Link to Daisaun's athlete profile!
