Sandreka Bancroft of JHS 231 in Queens, broke a long-standing Mid School 55- meter record in the Colgate Women’s Games on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Pratt Institute, Brooklyn. Her 7.9 performance broke Monifa Taylor’s 8.09 record set in 1984.
High school athletes competing in the nation’s largest women’s track and field series on Friday continued to improve, turning in impressive performances that pushed a faster national pace, with some also flirting close to long-held Colgate Games’ records.
Cordozo High School relay champions continue to lead with Chamique Francis, Lateisha Philson and Claudia Francis each taking first in national best times: Chamique Francis easily won the 55 meters with her best time in the series, a fast 6.9; Philson stunned the crowd with her 7.6 performance in the 55-meter hurdles race; and Claudia Francis continues to get faster each week, crossing the tape in the 800 meters in 2.14.7
Taylor Parson an honor roll senior at Old Mill Senior High School in Maryland took the 200 meters in a very fast 26.0; Deajah Stevens of Mount Vernon High School won the 400 meters in 58.6, just ahead of Deon Phillips of Elmont Memorial High School in Queens (58.9); and Adrienne Alexander of Brooklyn’s Bishop Loughlin High School tossed her best shot put with a distance of 13.25m
Meet Director Fred Thompson said many of this weekend’s third preliminary times were outstanding. “Many of our girls performed like true champions, pushing themselves to find their own personal best and succeeding,” he said.
Next week’s final preliminary meet, followed by a semi-finals at Pratt will determine who will compete at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, January 29, 2011, where trophies and educational grants-in-aid from Colgate-Palmolive Company are awarded to top place finishers in each age/grade division.
The Colgate Women’s Games have produced 22 Olympians, hundreds of age/grade division national champions, and countless changed lives. Each year, high school participants are among the most heavily recruited athletes by colleges and universities across the nation. Coaches, recruiters, athletes and fans can follow scores each week at Colgategames.com.
