Choppa, Flight 648, Cleared for Takeoff
“Contol Tower this is Choppa Flight #648 cleared for takeoff!”, says the Empire State Liberty Tour Track & Field Series Record Holder in the Master’s (45 – 49) Long Jump. In fact, Rick holds all of the Liberty Tour meet records in the Long Jump for this age group. But, Rick wasn’t the only athlete that came to play at the USATF East Region Open & Club Championships at Ichabod Crane High School in Kinderhook, NY.
The weather, though cloudy and at times a bit of a drizzle, was an athletes dream day for competition. There were plenty of outstanding individual performances, but this was not a day for individualism, it was a day for the nearly 20 teams from the Northeast to the Mid Atlantic Coast, to score every point possible in order for their team to take home a share of the almost $1,500.00 of Prize Money being offered to the top three (3) teams. “This is certainly a credit to the athletes, their coaches, and the USATF Associations from which they hail”, said Executive Producer of the meet, Anthony Mills. He explains, “It is difficult to train, work, manage a home, and still compete at such a high level. I tip my hat to the effort each of these athletes and their teams gave here today.”
In the end, it was Greater Boston that took 1st Place with 297 team points, ConnQuest was 2nd with 258 points, and U.S. Elite was 3rd with 211 points. For a photographic display of some of the performances, just scroll down. For all of the results from the activities of the day, click “Results” from the main menu, then click on “East Region Championships”.
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- Greater Boston’s Dacia Taylor shows very focused and relaxed form on her way to win the Women’s 200m Dash with a time of 25.04. Dacia also took 1st Place in the Women’s 100m Dash posting a time of 12.41.
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- Triple Jumper Samyr Laine wins 1st place in the Men’s Triple Jump event with a distance 16.35m.
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- Andre Reid, from 2nd Place ConnQuest, sprints across the throwing circle to toss the Discus a winning 48.49m.
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- The fastest man of the day is US Elite’s Byron Gibson, as he demonstrates streamline efficient sprint form in his 100m 1st Place finish of 10.69. Byron also took 1st Place in the Men’s 200m Dash with a time 21.32.
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- Without his winning Black & Red Track Shoes, Jason Hewitt, Greater Boston, struggles to keep pace with 1st Place finisher Justin Bishop in the Men’s 3000m Steeplechase.
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- Settling into the pack early, Kate Cushing (593) waits for her chance to move into the lead, as she takes 1st Place in the Women’s 1500m Run.
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- With an Edwin Moses look, US Elite’s Uri Robinson cruises to a winning Men’s 400m finish with a time of 48.39.
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- Blessed with Sprinters, US Elite’s Treisha Thorpe-Dulgarian, is about to receive the baton from her teammate for the anchor leg of the Women’s 4 x 100m Relay. Once again US Elite took 1st Place with a time of 48.70.
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- Providing a great photographic display of his talent, Executive Track Club’s, Steve Delice, properly clears the second hurdle en route to his 400m Intermediate Hurdle win in a time of 51.15.
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- At the mature age of… (I won’t give you that information).. Adirondack’s Scott Hannay shows solid form for his Javelin Throw. Scott is committed to throwing at the Open Men’s Division, at least until he’s 50.
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- Pole Vaulter Kira Sims takes 1st Place in this event for US Elite in an effort to show they do more than just Sprint. Kira had a winning vault of 3.52m.
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- Known for competing in the Double Decathlon, Justin Bishop, Team Utopia, offers the possibility of adding the Iron Cross (a gymnastic move on the rings) during his 3000m Steeplchase victory with a time of 9:55.88.
