Historic records fall all over the place
by DyeStat Metro staff
NEW YORK 3/14/2010 - Every time you looked up, historic records were going down.
While Ashton Purvis and Kendall Baisden were lighting up the track, Shelby Ashe was launching bombs in the weight throw cage as the three superstars stole the show with electrifying performances as the 27th National Scholastic Indoor Championships came to a close in New York.
Purvis, a senior from St. Elizabeth in California, got the New Balance Track & Field Center rocking right away in a showdown between the nation’s two best sprinters, storming back from an early deficit to catch Whitney Fountain of Christopher Columbus in New York to repeat in the 60 dash in a US#1 7.36, tied for No. 18 on the all-time list. Fountain was second in a US #2 7.39.
Purvis vs. Fountain, Part 2 came about an 90 minutes later, and was just as thrilling.
In a reversal of the start in the 60, Purvis got out quick on Fountain in the 200, and this time Fountain played catch-up, getting right on the shoulder of Purvis as they dipped into the final curve.
Just when it looked like Fountain may gain a slight edge as they turned for the homestretch, Purvis powered into another gear and roared across the line, stopping the clock in a jaw-dropping 23.22, equaling the meet and facility record set in 2002 by future U.S. Olympian Sanya Richards of St. Thomas Aquinas, Florida. Fountain was second in 23.48, placing her No. 7 all-time
Purvis is now tied with Richards for the No. 3 spot all-time. Richards won Olympic gold medals on the 4x400 in 2004 and 2008, captured the 400 bronze in the ’08 Olympics, and won the 2009 World Championship in the 400.
"I didn’t want to share that plate (the record plaque on the wall),’’ said the University of Miami-bound Purvis, who successfully defended her 200 title.
"I wanted to get it all for myself. But I’m happy to get the fast times and the wins.’’
Only Bianca Knight (22.97 in 2007) and Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix (23.14 in 2003) have run faster indoors than Purvis as a prep.
"It’s great to get my name up high on that list and give people something to remember me by,’’ said Purvis.’’
They sure will !!!
Purvis (left) edges Fountain in 60
Purvis leaves Fountain and Baisden in her wake in 200
Trinity Wilson of St. Mary’s in California didn’t quite get the record she was seeking, but she didn’t leave empty handed either.
Wilson, a sophomore who was shooting for the Armory record in the 60 hurdles of 8.25, made a great recovery after a slow start and repeated as champion in 8.37.
Wilson’s enroute time of 7.74 thru 55 shattered the national sophomore record of 7.81 that she tied in the semifinals on Saturday and is a US#1 this year for that distance.
Wilson, who also owns the national sophomore record and US #1 of 8.29, was in an early hole thanks to big jump Lateisha Philson of New York got out of the blocks. Philson wound up second for the second straight year in 8.58.
"She got an amazing start and left everyone in the blocks,’’ said Wilson. ``I wasn’t too worried because I told myself that I could make it up stride by stride, and by the third hurdle I was where I needed to be. The best part of my race is the finish, so once I got back in front, I knew I was in good shape.’’
Wilson loves to break records.
"It’s good to get that record,’’ said Wilson. "I want to claim every record out there as my own, and this is a step in that direction.’’
