Ella Gibbs from Bleckley County MS poses after her amazing 10:42 3200 meter race.
(all photos by Marc Logan)
The 2021 version of the Georgia MS State Track and Field championships was a welcome breath after COVID-19 brought down the entire season in 2020. What it did allow, was for new stars to emerge who were 6th/7th graders last season, which had now risen to the top of the ranks in 2021. SMART Athletics put on a great meet as usual as 1260 athletes from 103 teams gathered together at the 'Big Orange Jungle' of Parkview High School to determine who was the 'best of the best' -basically 'all classes' in MS Track and Field. MileSplit Georgia was on site both days and shot complete race videos of every heat and thousands of photos from every running event, as well as many awards photos by Marc Logan.
In the competition, Jackrabbit Track and Field clearly dominated the sprints and relays, led by Janai Jones, Olivia Harris, and Devin Williams. All of these athletes recorded USA National leading times in their respective events. The Jackrabbit's 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams were untouchable, as their 'A' and 'B' squads swept the top 2 places in those events.
On the school side, 8th grader Ella Gibbs from Bleckley County MS proved she is going to be a force to be reckoned with for many years in high school track. Gibbs destroyed the field Friday nite, posting a rare 10:42 in the 3200-meter run, establishing herself as the top middle schooler in the USA in 2021 in this event. Ella went on to also win the 1600-meter run in 5:09 while placing 4th in the 800m at 2:19 and change.
Landmark Christian's girls may have gotten the once very powerful Eagle's program (formerly under the tutelage of legendary coach Bill Thorn) back on the map again, as Landmark easily outdistanced the field winning by 28 points over 3 schools who were within 1.5 points of each other, including Rome MS, Buford MS, Bleckley County MS, with Carrollton Junior HS right in the mix. Carrollton is going to be a fixture in boys high school track and field during the early part of the 2020s, as Carrollton Jr. High School was victorious on the boy's side scoring 67 points besting cross-town rival Central MS by 12 points.
Jaiden Daniels from Banks County won the high jump on day one with a bar of 5-6
Thomas Latham of Alpha Crush won the 3200m in 9:55 and followed that on Sunday taking the1600m at 4:37.
Grayson Ingram of Trinity Christian-Sharpsburg won the Shot with a heave of 44-0
Team Fusion ran away in the girl's 4x800 race clocking a time of 10:14.81 as Ansley Moore brings the baton home.
Ella Gibbs won her 2nd gold medal of the meet in the 1600m race posting a time of 5:09
Jackrabbit Girls team A brings home the bacon in the 4x100 clocking a time of 48.27
Jackrabbit's boys dominated the boy's 4x100 posting a sweet 45.06
Jackrabbit's 4x100 squad poses with their newly won Gold medals
Paul Byrnes of Atlanta Track Club Youth was too strong, as he seized the 400m dash win going 52.43
Olivia Harris destroyed the field in the girl's 400 clocking a US #1 time of 55.11
Devin Williams swept the short sprints turning in times of 11.19/22.61
Treon Penson of Flat Rock MS clears the final hurdle winning the high hurdles going 14.79
Oluwatosin Awoleye of Peak Performance South won the Girls 800m run in 2:16.12!and the top 4 girls in the 800m all broke the previous state record.
Allen Israel Sulton IV of Drive Phase, held his ground taking the boy's 800m run win in 2:11.36
Janai Jones nips Anaya Fraser of Peak Performance in the girl's 200m dash at 24.75
Jackrabbit is on the way to winning the final race of the meet in the 4x400 relay
Buford MS placed 3rd overall
Rome MS were team runner-ups
Landmark Christian won the Girls team title
Central MS were Boys team runner-ups
Carrollton Junior High is the 2021 MS Boys State Champs
The Jackrabbit Track Club celebrates having an outstanding meet.
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