The Jaguar Track Club’s outdoor season is now in full swing and the athletes are not only facing tough competition on the track, but also battling the hot and cold spring weather in New Jersey. (Jaguar Track Club is a sponsored program of the South Orange Department of Recreation & Cultural Affairs; see more here: www.jaguartrack.org).
On Sunday, April 24, the Jaguar Blue team attended the New York Relays at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island. Despite a cold start to the day, the Jaguars came to run hard. The U8 runners continue to shine with the girls placing 2nd (Natalia Thompson 1:25.05) and 3rd (Sahar Ahad PR – 1:26.05) in the 400M, and 2nd in the 800 (Sahar Ahad 3:07.39). Myles Richard couldn’t be stopped on Sunday with two 1st places finishes in the 400M (1:18.02 PR) and the 800M (2:56.96). The 9-10 yo runners continued to challenge the competition with Peyton Hollis finishing 2nd in the 800M (2:43.82), and a PR for Kaori Hector in the 400 (1:16.11). The U10 boys took home 2nd in the 200M (Dylan Williams 29.98) and 2nd in the 800 (Amari Akakpo 2:42.38)
The 11-12 yo boys continue to face tough competition with many of them at the bottom of the age group. 11-12 yo Cormac Taylor placed 1st in the long jump with a PR (4.83M). The 13-14 yo girls dominated the competition. Leena Morant came in 1st (400M at 59.78s) and 2nd (200M at 26.83) in both of her races for the day. Natalie Gibson placed 2nd in the 200M (27.46), and Morgan Williams bested the competition with a 1st place finish (2:28.19) in the 800M. Jordan Robinson brought it home for the girls placing 2nd in the long jump with a final mark of 4.51m. Talib Bilal showed up strong for the 13-14 yo boys and placed 2nd in the 400M (57.18) and 3rd in the 200M (25.75). Kayla Hudson represented the oldest Jaguars (15-16 yo) with a 2nd place finish in the 800 (2:41.10).
The Jaguar Orange team attended the NJ Striders meet in Hackensack on Sunday, April 24. Finishing top 3 for the Jaguars were sub-batem (U8) Audrey Marvell, who placed 2nd in the 400M (1:28.30 PR) and 15-16yo girls Zharia Wooten and Courtney Johnson. Wooten and Johnson showed up to run with 1st (Zharia Wooten 14.80) and 3rd (Courtney Johnson 16.90) in the 100M, and 1st (Zharia Wooten 1:15.70) and 2nd (Courtney Johnson 1:29.90) in the 400M.
This past weekend, the Jaguar Blue team travelled to Edison NJ on May 1 to run in the AAU-NJ Annual Youth Track & Field Invitation. As rain poured down on the team all morning, the young Jaguars tried to keep their spikes dry and legs loose to run in a variety of track & field events.
The mid-distance runners showed the crowd that a little rain couldn’t hold them back. Girls sub-bantam Sahar Ahad took 1st in the 1500M (6:19.67), U10 runner Peyton Hollis placed 1st in the 1500M (5:43.30), and Jenna Keith (girls 13-14) after returning from injury took 3rd in the 1500M (5.28.81 PR).
The Jaguar sprinters battled it out during the worst of the rain to place in the top three with Myles Richard running 3rd in the 400M (1:21.97), Leena Morant taking 1st in the 400M 13-14 girls (1:01.11), and Kayla Hudson placing 1st in the 400M 15-16 Girls (1:04.24).
The Jaguar Orange team raced at the NJ Striders meet in Fair Lawn, NJ on Sunday. Chase Jones started the day with a U8 girls 3rd place finish in the 200M (39.80), and her fellow sub-bantam teammates swept the 800M race with Chase Jones in first (3.19.90), Audrey Marvell in 2nd (3:31.60) and Nia Rowe in 3rd (3:39.50) and Elysa Sxinas in 4th (3:40.60). Way to go young Jaguars!
The girls 15-16 duo of Zharia Wooten and Courtney Johnson closed out the older division with Wooten finishing 1st in the 200M (33.60) and 800M (3:17.80), and Johnson placing 2nd in the 200M (37.60) 2nd and 2nd in the 800M (3:59.70).
Great job, Jaguars!
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