The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Roadrunners’ Diana Lynn Thompson Classic saw more athletes on the track and field attain the CARIFTA qualifying standards on Saturday at the original Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

Alexis Roberts, of Red-Line Athletics, clocked 56.35 in the under 17 girls’ 400m finals to qualify for her first time.

She landed right on the qualification mark of 56.35. Placing second was Jasmine Thompson with 59.32 and Red-Line Athletics’ Azarria Marshall finished third.

Roberts expressed how it felt to qualify for her very first time.

“It feels really good. I went on the track wishing that I could do my best and I wanted to leave this track knowing that I left everything out there and that I did my best,” she said.

Her performance in the event was exactly the plan coaches wanted her to execute and with the CAR- IFTA Trials right around the corner, she is hoping to shave down her time.

“It was good. I followed the race plan my coach gave me. I got out fast and I finished strong. I am looking forward to cutting down my time to run 55 seconds and I am just hoping to make the team,” she said.

Roberts’ fellow teammate Madison Moss dipped under the CARIFA mark of 14.65 with her time of 14.48 in the under 17 girls’ 100m hurdles.

Davon Davis, son of GSSSA president Varel Davis, also managed to qualify for the first time in the under 17 boys’ triple jump event. The CAR- IFTA mark is 12.92m and Davis notched 13.95m in the event. Dishon Dean, of One Track Mind, came second with a qualifying jump of 13.18m and Abraham Forbes ended the event in third.

Davis, who is coming off an injury, was happy to qualify.

“It feels great because I was off for six weeks because of an injury and I came back and made a huge PR and qualified so it feels great,” he said.

He is hoping to clear 14m going forward and wants to come first at the CARIFTA Trials to potentially make the team.

Lanaisha Lubin, who was a part of last year’s CAR- IFTA team, qualified in the under 20 girls’ long jump. She surpassed the qualifying standard of 5.58m with her jump of 5.70m. She took second place in the triple jump event with a height of 11.73m.

For Lubin, the result was not surprising to her but she acknowledged there is room to improve.

“I am very excited but I expected to qualify again. I wanted to open up my season with a bit further jump but I am satisfied for the most part. I am really just gonna focus and buckle down on what I need to execute for jumps in the future,” she said.

She is hoping to work on her knee drive and extension while also getting over her fear of scratching in the event.

William McKinney soared to a CARIFTA qualification in the under 20 boys’ triple jump. He finished with a height of 14.89m, beating the CARIFTA mark of 14.29m.

Rollie Hanna, of Jumpers Inc., took second place with 14.08m.

Robert Deal III put on a qualifying performance in the under 20 boys’ discus throw. He bested the CAR- IFTA mark of 49.79m with his heave of 51.15m in the event.

Kaden Cartwright, of Air Assaults, was positioned second with a throwing distance of 45.63m. Jared Cox, who competed unattached, wrapped up third with 38.75m.

Deal took home another first-place finish in the men’s shot put.

Moving on to the javelin event, Ethan North, of Fast Forward, turned in a throw of 46.35m well over the CARIFTA standard of 44.95m.

Dior-Rae Scott and Taysha Stubbs, represent- ing Air Assaults, along with Noble Prep’s Vanessa Sawyer, were all repeat qualifiers in the under 20 girls’ javelin throw. Sawyer improved on last week’s distance of 39.84m with 40.00m.

Cailyn Johnson, of Triple Threat Throws, and Blue Chip Athletics’ Annae Mackey qualified again in the under 20 girls’ discus throw.

Kenny Moxey Jr and Anaiah Rolle both repeated as qualifiers in the under 20 girls’ and boys’ pole vault respectively.

Next up for track and field will be the GSSSA High School Championships set for February 28 to March 1.