By Terry Mosher
Editor, Sports Paper
Olympic High School senior-to-be, Zach Smith, raced into the finals of the 17-18-age bracket in the 100 at the USATF National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships on Friday. Smith ran a 10.78 to claim the eighth and final spot in the finals that will be held Sunday at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro, N.C. He had the fourth best time.
“I was fourth in my heat,” said Smith, who is running for Kitsap Fliers. “They take the top two from each (of three heats) and the next two top times.”
Smith ran a 10.66 on Thursday to make the semifinals and he said his start was better in that race.
“It was hotter today,” Smith said. “And the humidly was sapping me. (But) I’m real happy. I came to do the best I can. It would have been nice to make it in the 200 (he finished 28th in the first round, missing the semis by four spots with a time of 21.77). I can’t complain about my time.”
Smith will continue to train with Ron Atkins in the off-season to prepare for next spring’s high school season.
Zach Smith (blue)
The Bremerton Jaguars’ De’Andre Sincere, a freshman this fall at Central Kitsap, won his heat and had the best time Friday in the 13-13-age bracket in the 100. Sincere posted a time of 11.19
Sincere finished 23rd out of 24 in the 13-14-age bracket long jump competition. Sincere had the county’s best junior high mark this spring of 20-05.5, but could muster just 17.07.5. The winner was Noah Tqbinoghene of Track Alabama. He went 20-04.25.
Sincere did qualify for the 400 semifinals with a run of 51.88 that placed him ninth overall. He was second in his heat with the eighth best time.
Jaleel Elmore, a sophomore this fall at Olympic High School, finished 24th, garnering the last qualifying spot to the 15-16-age bracket semifinals of the 400 with a time of 50.47.
Alexa James of Port Orchard’s Raw Speed II finished 20th in the 2K steeplechase with a time of 9:20.29.
The Jaguars’ Taylor Nichols finished 29th in the girls 9-10-age bracket with a time of 1:08.991