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Golden South Classic Distance Preview -Golden South Classic 2013Published by
Golden South Classic Distance Preview - Golden South Classic 2013 The Distance Fields over the last 48 hours have really solidifed as a bona fide top notch competition with State Champions and National Elites added across the board. The distance events will be highlighted by a chance to earn an automatic birth to the adidas Dream Mile in NYC next weekend at Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island. To qualify, girls must win the competition and go sub 4:50, guys sub 4:11 for the full mile.
Girls 800 The Golden South Classic Girls 800 record was set way back in 1985. This is the year the record finally gets broken. Look for defending 2A State Champion Daesha Rogers (American Heritage, Plantation, FL) to take it out hard as usual, covering the first 400 in 60-61 and then throttling back the 3rd 200. To have a chance again Daesha, 4A State Champion Michelle Howell (Seminole Ridge, FL) needs to be within striking distance with 200 to go which realistically means going out in 63, sustaining the next 200 and battling Daesha the last 200. We haven't seen Daesha seriously challenged in a Florida 800 race as everyone is trying to make up lost ground from 400-600 meters while she is in cruise mode, setting up for the last 200. Look for the Classic record to fall.
Boys 800
With 28 of the 29 competitors entered having seed times less than 2 flat, expect an extremely competitive race with great depth between 1:54-1:56 and a handful of guys able to battle for the individual win.
Georgia's Tyler Woodrome (Mill Creek, GA) comes in with the fastest seed time going 1:53.96 in 2012 and has a season best of 1:55.76. Tyler has the distinction of also having the fastest 1600 time in the field, 4:13.41 from Regionals a month ago.
Cory Nicholls, (McEachern, GA) has 400 open speed in the 49 second range and 6 weeks ago ran his PB of 1:54.24. With so much depth, it's a hard race to predict although we definitely like what we saw from Will Spiers (Chiles, FL) at the Florida State Relays earlier the year when he broke loose with 300 to go and never looked back, going 1:55.80 for the win. Will opted to compete in the 1600 at State, finishing 10th, so he's looking for some post season glory. Boyd Anderson's Sophomore sensation Javon Patterson was second at 4A State behind Andres Arroyo, tends to be a front runner with 50 second flat 400 speed. It would suit Javon well if he laid off the early pace because unless you're superior to the field, front running 800's at this level only lends itself to getting gobbled up on the home-stretch. This race is ideally suited for Tampa Jefferson's 3A State champion Jonathon Moore, someone that can go out hard just off the pace and kick with the field as evidenced by his 1:55.21 win at State.
Girls Mile
This years race will be a lot different as the 4 fastest Florida girls are entered with 3 out of the 4 Florida 1600 State Champions to include 2A State Champion and 8th Grader Daesha Rogers, which will make this race, oh, so tactically interesting .
Although Daesha's best 1600 time is 4:54.03 from last year, this year she won the 2A State meet going 4:59.39.
Well, what happens if she wins and goes sub 4:50 for the full mile as an 8th Grader?
Unlike Foot Locker, there are no age or grade restrictions so she more than likely locks up the Invite and adds to her already statuesque lore but lets' not get ahead of ourselves. It's a fairly substantial jump and she would have to run 11 seconds faster than she did at the State Meet 2 weeks after her normal season finished. I'm not sure anyone would want to take that bet though and it presents a tactical challenge for all the other competitors because as sure as the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, Daesha will be leading the Golden Stripes 1600 after 2 laps as the rest of the field tries to reel her in as fans watch and wonder if she will get caught before the finish.
The fastest posted performance seed is 4A State Champion and 2 time-time Foot locker Finalist Bridget Blake (FSU Signee) who comes in with the State's 2nd fastest time this year, 4:54.74 from the Florida Relays. Bridget won the 4A title under dreadful conditions at Hodges Stadium in 5:00.51.
Emily Edwards, 3A State Champion who presently has the fastest time in Florida this year going 4:53.91 at the Lee County Athletic Conference Championships (LCAC) won her State Meet final in the same rainy and blustery conditions in 5:00.60.
Taylor Tubbs, Sebring Blue Streak and Florida Gator signee has also gone sub 5 this year finishing 2nd to Edwards at State and Georgia's Grace Tinkey (Air Force signee), now on the comeback trail recently going 5:06/10:50 at her State Meet in Georgia. Emily Stevens should also be in the lead pack of runners, but the question really is? Will Daesha come back to the pack or not?
Boys Mile
Girls 3200
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