Wednesday, December 12, 2001
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Wednesday, December 12, 2001 |
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PTC
Flash runs in national meets The Peachtree City Flash competed in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Nationals Dec. 1, in Orlando, Fla. and the USA Track and Field (USATF) Junior Olympics-Nationals Dec. 8 in Lincoln, Neb. Five members of the 10 and under girls team competed in both events. Lacey Garrett, 14 and under girls, competed in both events. Jonathan Garrett and Fumika Shimada, both 12 and under athletes, competed in Orlando. Vince Brown and Rebecca Stokes, also 12 and under athletes, competed in Lincoln. The Junior Olympics was an absolute awe inspiring experience for parents and athletes alike. Opening ceremonies were held in Devaney Sports Center on the University of Nebraska campus. More than one of the parents were a bit less than dry eyed watching more than 2,200 young athletes proudly marching with their regions representing the 50 United States. Georgia was well represented as part of Region III along with Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia and North and South Carolina. Shannon Phillipps competed with a stress fracture on her left foot, discovered immediately after the Region III USATF qualifier meet in Cary, N.C. Proudly running with the team that did so well all season, she refused to pull out and have her team unable to compete together in the nationals. Although she did not run her best times of the year because of her injury, her efforts were proud and brave. The courses were different and challenging. As expected, the Orlando course (held at Walt Disney's sport complex) was flat, but the 70 degree temperatures and high humidity made up for the lack of hills. Lincoln was a chilly 30 degrees at race time, and the course was both hilly and rugged. For those familiar with "Shakerag Hill" in Peachtree City, this course had a comparable uphill at approximately two kilometers into the 3K races (or at the 3K mark for the 4K runners.) The AAU results for the Flash were quite good. The 10 and Under Girls team ran a 3K race with 241 athletes competing. Mary Roberts placed 59th with a time of 13:02, while Mary Herbal placed 106th with a time of 13:45. Kie Fujii finished 112th with a time of 13:51 and was followed by Kara Markle, 152, 14:24 and Shannon Phillips, 163, 14:37. The team finished 12th overall. The 12 and under girls ran a 3K race with 263 athletes competing. Fumika Shimada, place 193rd with a time of 13:43.7. Shimada just barely missed qualifying for the USATF Nationals, finishing 22nd, just two short of the top twenty. However, she did not sit idle while her team mates competed in Lincoln. She proudly represented PTC Flash in the local Jingle Bell Trail 5K Road Race finishing first in her age group with a personal best 5K time of 22:20. Jonathan Garrett placed 129th in the 12 and under boys race with a time of 12:48. Lacey Garrett finished 191st in the 14 and under girls race, a 4K, with a time of 20:46. In the USATF meet, the 10 and under girls finished 11th overall. There were 180 athletes competing in the race. Roberts placed 50th with a time of 13:28. Roberts was followed by Fujii, 113, 14:36; Markle, 119, 14:43; Herbal, 123, 14:47 and Phillips, 129, 14:59. Garrett placed 192nd in the 14 and under girls race with a time of 19:39. The official results of the 12 and under boys and girls teams are not out yet because of a protest filed following the race. However here are the approximate times and places as recorded by the coaches. For the 12 and under girls Rebecca Stokes, 61st place, 12:47 and for the 12 and under boys Vince Brown, 98th place, 12:06. The team expresses their thanks to the Peachtree City Running Club for their support to get these athletes to the meets. Many members of the team would have been unable to attend without the generous donation to help these young athletes with plane fares and/or room accommodations. The team also wishes to thank several Delta employees who donated several buddy passes.
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