Masi White, a native of Jamaica was a sprinter during his younger days while in the West Indies and still later on. White talks to his nephew Joshua Salmon, who is a member of the indoor track and field team at Uniondale High School in Long Island.
White tells Salmon not to let anything push him back and not to make a move that will hurt him on the track while in competition or in practice.
“Keep doing better,” White would urge Joshua.
And that’s just what the youngster is trying to do.
In trying to follow in his uncle’s footsteps in the latter’s track career, Salmon happens to be one of the better sprinters at Uniondale during this, his senior year. He is trying to help lead Uniondale to be a challenger for the Section Eight or Nassau County indoor track and field team title in February and then advance into the following meets as well, such as the State qualifier and then the most prestigious of all of them, the State meet.
In his fourth year of running and the first year on the indoor team at Uniondale, Salmon is a versatile athlete.
He recently overall placed in a tie for second place with his teammate Derrick Ingram in the 55-meter dash in 6.50 in the second of three Friendship Games. And he really felt good about turning in a tremendous performance in the Friendship Games.
“It was my goal to finish in first place (but I’ll take second),” Salmon said. “It means that I could always push harder and harder to attain what I want (to win). About a month ago I didn’t have a chance to win the 55 meter dash, but I had a chance to run the 400 meters.”
The Friendship Games at Nassau Community College in Garden City marked his first indoor meet.
Later in the meet, Salmon ran the 400-meter anchor in the victorious 1,600-meter relay.
As a junior he was not on the indoor or winter track and field team. A versatile performer, he went out for the outdoor team and made it.. He is capable of competing in various events such as the 4 x 100 meter relay, in the 200 meters, the 4 x 200-meter relay, 1600-meter relay, triple jump and sprints.
“My favorite event is the 200 meters, because it’s a longer race and I can pick up my speed,” he continued.
“My goals are to be a better athlete, be faster, and be a RN (registered nurse),” he said. “And I want to get a track scholarship to college.”
He and his Uniondale teammates are coached by Denis Kornfield, who has helped him in his year and a half of high school track and field.
“Kornfield told me to run more in practice, stretch, and don’t let anything push you away,” the student athlete said.
More recently, Salmon ran a 6.6 clocking for third place in the Friendship Games Championship Meet and then along with teammates Derrick Ingram, Chris Armour, Nyder Chardonette, anchored Uniondale to a runner-up finish to champion Half Hollow Hills West high in the 4×400 meter relay for Long Island schools in the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden.
Uniondale’s foursome turned in a 3:32.07 in making their debut in this race. These boys never ran before in this meet at the Garden.
“Salmon seemed to get tired,” Ingram said.
“He wasn’t able to complete the distance (successfully),” Nyder added. “But if the race was shorter I’m sure that he might have won it,.”
“But running in this meet gave us good experience (anyway),” said Armour.
Now all these athletes are preparing for the upcoming Nassau County Meet.
