By Mike Clark
Angelena Bullocks is an elite sprinter in any conditions, but put a strong tailwind at her back and the times really start falling.
The Young senior ran a blistering 11.33 seconds to win the 100 meters at the Public League finals at Rockne Stadium on May 10, putting an exclamation point on another dominant showing for the Dolphins.
Young scored 155.5 points to outdistance Kenwood (106) and Lane (105) and win its 10th consecutive Public League title (there was no meet in 2020 because of COVID).
Bullocks also won the 200 in 23.74, ran a leg on the winning 4×100 relay (47.54) and took third in the long jump — an event she just picked up this season — at 17 feet, 11.5 inches.
The 100 was the highlight for the University of Minnesota recruit.
“I’m extremely happy,” Bullocks said. “That was like my best block start in a long time and I actually finished my race properly, went through the line. So it was really good.”
Later in the 200, she averted a potential mishap.
“I feel like I came out of the blocks really well,” Bullocks said. “But coming off that curve, I almost literally, like, fell. My ankle started like — oh wow, I don’t even know what happened to be honest. But I saved myself and I kept pushing myself and I kept pushing.
“But you know what’s so crazy? That happened and I still ran 23.7. So everybody watch out at state, I’m just saying.”
Young won three relays, with Mia Seaton running legs on the 4×100 and the sprint medley (1:54.14). The Dolphins also took the 4×800 in 10:12.99.
Ag. Science junior Taya Rice dominated the jumps, winning the long (18-4.25) and triple (37-6) and taking third in the high (5-1.25) with the same height as her first-place teammate Nora McGuire.
“Never had a meet like this,” Rice said of battling the winds.
“Triple (jump), big PR, I was not expecting that at all. My teammates pushed and talked me through it.”
She started her track and field career on a different path, but it’s all worked out.
“I started sprinting, I never really knew too much about field events,” Rice said. “I started doing good at high jump, so they said, ‘Let’s try long and triple,’ and that’s how I got into it. At first, I just really liked triple jump, I didn’t like long jump. But now I like them all.”
South Shore’s Jordan Hamb is getting back to full strength after dealing with hamstring, quad and back issues. She won the 100 hurdles (13.99), was third in the triple jump (37-3), took fourth in the long jump (17-8.25) and wound up seventh in the 200 (25.88).
“I’m OK with this,” Hamb said. “I’m not mad, honestly. I improved in the hurdles. Long jump, triple jump wasn’t the best. But I mean, I know what I can do, I know what I’m capable of. The 200, I’m not mad because even though my leg hurts, I still pushed through and did what I could and finished out. … I’m pretty proud of myself today, a lot of recovering from being injured.”
Lane’s Antonina Leary won the 800 (2:22.92) and ran a leg on the winning 4×400 relay (4:03.62). The Champions also had firsts from Ainsley Carter in the 1,600 (5:24.35) and Amy Herzog in the 3,200 (11:54.33).
Kenwood had firsts from Jamiylah Jones in the 300 hurdles (46.98), the 4×200 relay (1:42.88) and Jade Hamiton Gill in the shot put (33-7.25).
South Shore’s Leah Smith won the 400 (59.15) and Englewood’s Zandrea Brittmon took first in the discus (99-4).
Photos by Hezekiah Clark/X2X Sports
