Asinga Pairs 20.57/10.06w and Hodge Runs 22.84w/11.18 In Tallahassee

By Todd Grasley of DyeStat

The Sunshine State's capital was also the nation's speed capital over the weekend as the Florida State Relays produced several US#1 performances. 

The highlight of the weekend came from the Montverde Academy sprinters who starred two weekends earlier at New Balance Nationals Indoor in Boston.

Coach Gerald Phiri continued to get the most out of his athletes, starting with Issam Asinga.

Two weeks after breaking the high school national indoor 200-meter record, the senior and Texas A&M signee opened up his outdoor season with a US#1 20.57 time in the 200 meters on Friday night. He came back less than 24 hours later in the 100 meters and ran a wind-aided 10.06 (+3.1w), the 12th fastest ever under any conditions. 

Teammate and 200-meter indoor national record holder on the girls side, Adaejah Hodge, was no less impressive. Hodge clocked a US#1 all-conditions 200 meters time of 22.84 (+3.0w) and followed that up with a blazing fast and US#1 wind-legal time of 11.18 seconds. That put her .24 seconds off the national record of 10.94 set by Briana Williams in 2019.

Michelle Smith of Montverde lowered her US#1 time in the 400-meter hurdles by running 58.41. Smith, one of the most versatile athletes in the country, also won the 800 meters in a US#2 time of 2:07.95 over Ka'Myya Haywood of Bishop Kenny, who was second in 2:09.01. Haywood was victorious in the girls 400 in a US#10 time of 54.94.

Micahi Danzy of Florida High, fresh off a 400-meter victory at the Bob Hayes Invitational, improved his PR in the event to a US#3 46.16.

Leon High junior Patrick Koon, one of the top distance recruits in the nation, shined in the invitational 3,200 meters with a US#2 time of 8:52.60, nearly 10 seconds faster than runner-up Joshua Ruiz of Belen Jesuit.

Koon opened his outdoor season with a personal best of 4:16.53 in the 1,600 meters and 8:53.88 in the 3,200 meters at the beginning of March. In addition, he was fourth at New Balance Nationals Indoor where he broke a state record with 14:11.92  in the 5,000.

In the girls invitational 3,200 meters, Eli Black of Cambridge Christian improved her unbeaten streak. The freshman posted a US#8 time of 10:30.18 to lead 12 girls under 11 minutes.

George Jenkins sophomore Chelsi Williams cruised to a US#3 13.70 to win the 100 meter hurdles. Williams was sixth in the finals of the 60m hurdles at New Balance Nationals Indoor. Also, one of the top jumpers in the state, Williams nearly jumped out of the pit in the triple with her mark of 40-7.75w.

Williams' George Jenkins teammate Rey Hernandez clocked a US #2 53.67 in the 400-meter hurdles.

Out Of State Talent Takes Trip South

It wasn't just Floridians in attendance. Athletes from across the southeast made the trip to Tallahassee. Kalb Branch of Lovejoy GA made the most of the trek south. Branch won the 110-meter hurdles in the nation's fastest time 13.89.

Alex Leath of Vestavia Hills AL and teammate Max Armstrong led a 1-2 punch in the boys 800 meters with Leath winning in a US#3 time of 1:50.63. He'd take the 1,600 meter crown as well in another top 10 time, US#8 4:09.57.

Other Notable Performances

The Belen Jesuit boys are a cross country powerhouse and their mid-distance prowess showed out this weekend. The Wolverines' 4x800 meter relay crossed the line in first place with a US#4 time of 7:52.98.

The Niceville girls 4x800 meter relay squad barely missed a top 10 national performance on the way to winning in US#12 9:34.92.

The Choctawhatchee boys won the 4x100 meter relay in a US#11 41.60.

In the field events, Kyle Johnson of Montverde Academy won a tiebreaker in the long jump after he and Hoover AL's Jay Avery both jumped 23-11w. La'Darion Dudley of Lincoln High in Tallahassee won the shot put with a massive PR and state leading 58-8.50.