File photo from HamptonPirates.com
Hampton University senior Francena McCorory successfully defended her title in the 400-meter dash Saturday night at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Randal Tyson Track Center. McCorory, the high school national indoor record holder in the 400 and 300 meter dash from her prep days at Bethel High School, certainly has returned back to that top level from her high school glory days with her performance today. In the women's 400 meter finals, McCorory, broke a 19 year old American indoor 400 meter dash record with her NCAA and school record breaking performance of 50.54!
Also in the same meet, Queen Harrison of Virginia Tech, a product of Hermitage High School in Glen Allen, Va, went 1-2 in the women's 60 meter hurdles with her Hokie teammate Kristi Callan in a time of 7.95. Harrison became the first female athlete from Virginia Tech to win a NCAA track title. The Virginia Tech senior was a 2008 Olympian in the Beijing Games in the women's 400 meter hurdles, which McCorory is definitely gearing up to make a run for the US Olympic team in the 2012 London Games in two years. Hampton High School graduate and current University of Miami junior Ti'erra Brown placed third in the hurdles finals against Harrison and earned All-American honors with her time of 8.08.
The George Mason University men's 4x400 meter relay placed 7th overall with a time of 3:08.50 and their entire relay is comprised of all former Virginia high school stars in Kevin Wilson from Landstown, Nick Vaughn from South Lakes, David Verburg from E.C. Glass, and Ja-Vell Bullard from Bethel.
Hampton University Press Release on Francena McCororyVirginia Tech Press Release on Queen Harrison
Francena McCorory returned to the same track that she set the national high school record in the 300 meter dash at Virginia as a collegiate freshmen at Hampton University to break the American and World Junior Indoor Record in the event.
A total of six Virginians were named to the All-USA high school track team by USA Today. Three boys and three girls from Virginia were selected to the team chosen by Jack Shepard, high school editor for Track and Field News. Charles Clark of Bayside, Mike Morrison of Great Bridge, Corey Vinston of Phoebus, Francena McCorory of Bethel, Nicole Saunders of Menchville, and Natalie Baird of Park View were the six honorees from Virginia.
Alan Webb, Lashawn Merritt, and Sarah Bowman. These names represent the best of track and field athletes produced from the state of Virginia. Webb and Bowman had national records and national championships to their credentials, while Merritt was a national champion and World Juniors champion. The records they broke and championships they won created legacies within the state which will never let them be forgotten. Bethel senior Francena McCorory appears to be destined to elevate herself into the same elite class. With a reign of dominance over the state since her freshmen year with her first state title stretching to a virtually unbeaten streak that still is found today, McCorory has taken that dominance to the national level this year. With a national record in the 300 meter dash and a US #1 500 time under her belt this indoor season, McCorory is certainly setting herself up for a fine close to what has been one of the most impressive high school track careers in this state\'s history.
MileStat.com was able to get on-site meet interviews with three national leading caliber athletes in Georgetown Prep\'s Steve Duplinsky (US#1 3200), Northside\'s Catherine White (US#1 3200), and Bethel\'s Francena McCorory (US#1 all-time 300).
No suprise with the amount of competiton and quality of track found at the Freeman Center\'s Vince Brown Track for the CNU Showcase that many of the state\'s best season times were turned in at the two day event in Newport News. In all, 14 state best peformances were recorded at the meet.
Christopher Newport University will host its second high school invitational of the season this weekend with the CNU Showcase. The two day meet held Friday and Saturday, January 7th and 8th at the Freeman Center\'s Vince Brown Track will be the start of several competitive meets after winter break with the state\'s best athletes going head to head. This weekend\'s meet will feature three of the state\'s biggest stars in Michael Morrison, Francena McCorory, and Angela Jenkins.
Bethel senior Francena McCorory broke three meet records at the F.I.T. Invitational with three state leading times in the 55 (7.09), 300 (38.79), and 500 (1:17.59) meter dashes to highlight the performances from the meet held at Prince George County\'s Sports & Learning Complex in Landover, Maryland. Bethel teammate Russell Williams also posted a state best of 1:06.32 in the 500 meter dash. Thomas Jefferson senior Stephanie Reaves in the 1000 (3:03.31) and Westfield boys 4x400 meter relay (3:31.70) also ran the state\'s fastest times to date. Angela Jenkins of Buffalo Gap pulled another double win in the jumps with first place finishes in the long jump (18-4.25) and triple jump (38-9.50). Group AAA state individual runners-up this past fall in cross country, Mike Spooner of West Springfield and Sarah Haidiji of W.T. Woodson, both won their 3200 meter races with times of 9:39.49 and 11:37.76 respectively.
The 11th Annual Friends of Indoor Track Invitational appears to have brought together, once again, many of the top athletes from around the area as they continue their hoped for improvement heading into the new year.
The meet was held for quite a few years as a relay only meet at George Mason University with very good success; but has now evolved into a regular track and field championship event format at the extremely nice venue at the Prince George\'s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, Maryland with the same continued success.
Approximately 1,150 athletes representing forty six high schools will partake on the 200 meter unbanked six lane track in the hopes of eliciting some post Christmas cheer as they try to build up some momentum before heading into the brunt of the indoor schedule.
