The South Lakes Boys Track indoor track and field team finished second overall in the 6A North Region Championship Thursday at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, Md.
Other highlights from the meet were victories in the boys’ and girls’ hurdle events, two school records, a second-place team finish and qualifying all six relay teams for the state meet.
The boys finished second to Alexandria’s T.C. Williams High School in the 26-team field while the girls were sixth. The top six finishers in each event earned a spot in next weekend’s 6A State Championship Feb. 26-27 in Hampton.
Senior Anas Fain successfully defended his regional title in the 55 meter hurdles in winning the event in 7.63, a personal best. He also teamed with seniors Alex Rudison, Eric Kirlew and Timiebi Ogobri for second in the 4×200 meter relay (1:33.79). Ogobri was fourth in the 55 meters (6.65 prelims, 6.66 finals) and Kirlew finished fourth in the triple jump (43-11.25) followed by senior Skander Ballard (43-09.00).
The triple jump was one of three individual events Ballard had state meet qualifying finishes. He was third in the 300 meters (35.85) and fourth in the 500 meters (1:06.24). Senior Nikolai Waithe was fourth in the 500 (1:08.76). Ballard, Waithe and seniors Connor Smith and John LeBerre finished second in the 4×400 meter relay with a 3:27.54.
LeBerre was also fourth in the 100 meters (2:35.96) and anchored the 4×800 meter relay team of Smith and juniors Peter Sepulveda and Jack Watkins to fourth in that event (8:19.13).
Junior Devyn Jones is also a region champion, winning the 55 hurdles in 8.40. Junior Nikayla Hoyte and sophomore Olivia Beckner advanced to states in individual events with school-record breaking performances:
Hoyte ran a 7.28 in the preliminaries of the 55 meters and advance to the finals, where she finished sixth (7.35). The previous record of 7.31 was set by Lachelle Wallace during the 2008-2009 season.
Beckner finished third in the 1,000 meter run with a time of 2:58.47 breaking the school record of 2:59.64 set by Anne Evans during the1987-1988 season. Senior Golden Kumi-Darfour was fourth with a 2:58.65.
Jones and Hoyte teamed with freshman Cara Hutson and Lena Weimerskirch for fourth in the 4×200 meter relay (1:47.47), qualifying the team for the state meet. Jones, Beckner, Kumi-Darfour and freshman Sophie Halkett ran a 4:03.77 for second in the 4×400 meter relay.
Photo: SLHS hurdler Anas Fain is regional 55-meter hurdle champion/Credit: Ed Lull
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