Pine Crest Trio Set To Compete At Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships

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Three of Pine Crest's top track and field athletes will compete for Broward Elite at the July 25-31 USATF National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships after qualifying at the recent Region 4 Championships in Spartanburg, S.C.

Triple jumper Tony Bridges and distance runners Michael Kennedy and Simone Vreeland will compete against the nation's best at Sacramento (Calif.) State.

MICHAEL KENNEDY

The rising senior is in the middle of base training for the upcoming cross country season and decided to compete at the JO region track qualifier, too.

Kennedy ended up winning the 17-18 3,000 meters in 9 minutes and 52.41 seconds, a distance he ran only in middle school and during summers. He ran six seconds faster than his sophomore year.

"I was surprised I qualified," Kennedy said. "For sure JOs will be the biggest meet I have been in. There's going to be a lot of good runners there."

"I have a strategy," Kennedy said. "It's seven laps. I am going to put a little pressure on myself and push for a good time."

Kennedy, 18, has qualified for the FHSAA state meet four consecutive years.

"I don't know what I would do without running," said Kennedy, who started in sixth grade. "I want to see where it takes me. At first, things didn't turn out to be what I hoped for but by my freshman year. I understood how important summer training is for the rest of the year. I understand the program and what coach asks of me."

Kennedy is the county's top boys' runner returning in the fall.

"I would like to finish up on the podium and take my team with me," Kennedy said. "Now is the time to train hard. I want to have a great last year."

TONY BRIDGES

The 17-year-old rising junior will make his third JO appearance. Last year he placed for the first time finishing third.

Bridges won the region triple jump title with a mark of 44 feet, 8 1/4 inches. His best jump is 47 feet, 10 ½ inches. He was also 12th in the long jump (20-6 ¼).

"At past meets, I was a freshman and sophomore going against these big seniors," Bridges said. "Before I started working with (Coach) Fabian Florant I was scared. He mentally prepared me for the ton of people and cameras that are at the meet. I am mentally and physically prepared and ready for the challenges ahead."

Bridges wasn't always a jumper. He was a sprinter first. His first year as a jumper, however, he qualified for the middle school state championships and finished second. In seventh grade, he was jumping 36 feet.

"I never did so well at an event," Bridges said. "Coach (Paul) Baur was always encouraging us to try different events. People told me I had a lot of potential."

The 5-foot-11 Bridges, who also plays basketball for Pine Crest, enjoys competing at the national level in track.

"It's great to compete against new athletes and make new friends and see their latest jumps," he said.

SIMONE VREELAND

The rising senior, also training for cross country, was second in the 2K steeplechase (7:46.57) and fourth in the 1500-meters (5:11.20) at regions.

The steeplechase is not a high school event in Florida. The first time she ran it was at last year's JOs.

"It's so much fun running through the water especially in the summer when it's so hot," Vreeland said. "I did hurdles my freshman year and I do distance running so it was natural to do."

"I was pretty nervous the first time I ran at JOs," Vreeland said. "I never ran the steeplechase and here I was against girls who were really into the steeple. I was very intimidated. It was hot and I was dying at the line. It was intense. I didn't know what to expect but it was really exciting. I had no expectations. I just did the best I could."

The second time around Vreeland's attitude will be different, she said. She is already running 15 seconds faster than she did last year.

"This time, I do have goals and times I want to hit," Vreeland said. "It adds a little pressure. It's still very exciting. I'm just enjoying this. It's all part of my summer training. I love this."

Vreeland has been a member of four state runner-up cross country teams at Pine Crest and would like to go out a state champion.

"My major focus is on distance running and getting my girls to give their all," Vreeland said. "I think with confidence and teamwork we can do it. We have the talent."

IAAF World Under-20 Championships

Meet favorite and state 3A champion Damion Thomas, a rising senior at Northeast representing Jamaica, saw his hopes of medaling end after getting knocked out of the second semifinal of the 110-meter hurdles at Zawisza Stadium in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Thomas and Yuji Hiramatsu of Japan both crashed out. Thomas had won his opening heat in 13.48.

DeJour Russell of Jamaica had the fastest 110-meter hurdles time in 13.20, a personal best and fastest time in the world this year by a junior and advanced to Thursday's final.

Jamal Walton of Miami Gardens Xpress and the Cayman Islands national team member, advanced to Thursday's 400-meter semifinals in 46.83, second fastest time in his heat.

St. Thomas alum Khalifa St. Fort of Trinidad and Tobago won her 100-meter heat in 11.50, fourth fastest time of the event. The reigning World Youth silver medalist advanced into the semifinals.