Trackspeed1 sprinters continued their pre-season competition programme on Saturday (28th), at the Florida Gliders Spring Classic Meet, at Lake Brantley High School, Orlando.
After a scintillating start to their season a week earlier in Gainsville, coach John Powell was looking forward to some more good performances, but plans were undone by a meeting peppered with long delays amid scorching conditions.
In the 100m athletes were called into the competition zone some 40 minutes before they got to run and, in the case of the 200m, were made to wait on the track over 20 minutes before they got to compete.
"We were very disappointed with this year's meeting," said John after his group's nine hour stay at an arena with next to no shelter from the Florida sun. "We were given a time for the 100m to start with everything else a 'rolling schedule' through five age-groups for each event, but even that ended 40 minutes out.
"The meeting had so many delays it wasn't until after 6pm that our guys got to run the 200m (the 100m was at 11.30), and even then only after the starter went off to get a drink leaving them stranded on the track for upwards of 20 minutes! It's a great meeting for the younger ages, but not for elite athletes."
Despite all, there were still personal bests set by squad members, and those that didn't hit new times, weren't far off.
"The fact that, in these conditions, we hit so many PB's or almost-PB's," said John, "shows just what sort of shape the group are in this year."
Leading the pack was Edmond Amaning who sliced a further two tenths off his best to record 21.57 in the 200m despite easing short of the line. Then Ed Harrison, more accustomed to 400m hurdling, set a lifetime fastest of 21.71s - not bad as he'd already cracked his 100m best some hours earlier with a fine 10.79 sprint!
Omardo Anson clocked 22.41s which was a fraction outside his best, but that was after setting a personal best 100m time earlier of 11.07s. Melvyn Anukam clocked a personal best 11.20s in the 100m, and came close to his 200m best with 22.52s. None of the times had wind speeds either against or following of any significance.
Youngest member of the group, 15-year-old Phillip Robinson also got among the personal bests with a lifetime's fastest 11.35s in the 100m, and a 23.47s 200m which was just outside the best mark he set at Gainesville a week earlier.
"We've got some very tired athletes at the end of this trip after that meeting," said John, "but they have now proved twice that they are in the shape of their lives and, after a few days recovery, will be ready to roll back in the UK."
Trackspeed1 arrive back in the UK on Tuesday morning (1st May)
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