Thousands of girls from first grade through college and beyond competed this weekend in the third preliminary meet of the nation’s largest track series, the Colgate Women’s Games. From Boston to Virginia, division leaders continue to set the pace for the indoor track season, while girls of every level of talent continued to improve.
Friday in the High School division, Brooklyn’s Dayahana Douglas of Midwood High School won the 55 meters in 7.18 and Brianna White of Bishop Loughlin in Brooklyn won the 200 meters in 25.77. Boston’s Peyton Rollins of Buckingham Browne Nichols School won a third consecutive 55 meter-hurdles, crossing the tape in 8.35. Anissa Moore, a freshman at Bishop Loughlin, won the 400 meters in 59.03; Adia Palmer, also of Bishop Loughlin, won the 800 meters in 2:16.04. Maya Dorer of St. Joseph’s High School in Brooklyn won the 1500 meters in 4:45.66. Bianca Staples of Valley Central High School in Montgomery, NY, cleared the bar at 5’2″ for the win, and Denae Hill, of New Jersey’s West Orange High School won the Shot Put with a toss of 12.52 meters.
Saturday in the Mid School division, four-time Colgate Women’s Games’ record-holder Avery Lewis of Friends’ Central in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, won both the 55 meters in 7.13, and the 200 meters in 25.02. Kaela Swift of Success Academy in Brooklyn won the 400 meters in 59.34. Last year’s Elementary B division 800 meters finals champion Damira Allen of Northley Middle School in Aston, Pennsylvania, won the 800 meters in 2:22:06, a new personal record. Leilani Gibson of Engineering Science University Magnet School in West Haven, Connecticut, won the 1500 meters in 5:03.33; Shalisha Robertson of Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School in New Haven, CT won the shot put with a toss of 10.44M, and Alanna Woolfolk of Clayton Middle School, New Jersey cleared the high jump bar at 5’2″ for the win.
Meet Director Cheryl Toussaint said, “We are very proud that so many girls of every skill level chose to celebrate New Year’s weekend here with us in Brooklyn at the Colgate Women’s Games. Each weekend, thousands of young people are discovering their talents, challenging themselves, and building new friendships.”
Also Saturday, College/Open and 30’s Plus competitors featured nationally ranked athletes, several of who have competed since elementary school. Their results are available at colgategames.com
Sunday in the Elementary B division:
Rhia Randolph of Philp’s Academy in Newark, New Jersey won the 55 meters in 7.86, a personal record, and took first in the 200 meters in 28.28. Savannah Minter of PS 153 in the Bronx, still new to the hurdles, improved her time with her 55 meter-hurdles win in 11.07. Sydney Chadwick of St. Mathew School in Edison, New Jersey, won the 400 meters in 105.25, also a personal record. Paige Sheppard of St. Bartholomew Academy in Scotch Plains, New Jersey continues to impress with her win in the 800 meters in her best time of the series, 2:29.68. Alyssa Durant of Happy Hallow Middle School, all the way from Boston, Massachusetts cleared the high jump bar at 4’2″ for a third consecutive win.
Also on Sunday, in the Elementary A division, newcomer Jennifer Thomas of Icahn Charter School 7 in the Bronx, won both the 55 meters in 8.78 and the 200 meters in 32.46. Chelsea Smith of Aquinas Academy of Livingston, New Jersey won the 400 meters in 1:14.75 and the 800 meters in 2:51.63, with personal best performances.
Participation in the Colgate Women’s Games is completely free. Girls and young women compete within their own grade divisions for ribbons, medals and points.
Four preliminary meets and a semi-finals at Pratt Institute will determine who will compete at the finals at the New Balance Track and Field Center at The Armory, New York Saturday, February 1, 20 where trophies and educational grants-in-aid from Colgate-Palmolive Company are awarded to top place finishers in each grade division.
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