DI GIRLS TRACK: Well-rested Jordan has big day for Coronado
Coronado’s Charleen Jordan knew she was in for a long day Saturday in the Division I Sunrise Region track meet, so she decided to take a nap under her team’s canopy on the bleachers just before her final event.
It was a helpful and well-deserved rest for the standout sophomore.
Jordan swept the hurdles, ran the anchor leg on the winning 1,600-meter relay team and placed third in the 100 to cap one of the afternoon’s most outstanding performances at Del Sol.
“I love it, honestly,” Jordan said. “It is tiring at times, having to stay the entire meet from beginning to end, but I love it. And I love the relays because it’s just a four-girl team and you get really close with everyone. It’s nice to not always be alone in a race.”
Jordan, who won region titles in the 300 hurdles and 1,600 relay events last season, got her first individual title in the 100 hurdles and qualified for state in the 100.
She easily took the 100 hurdles in 15.25 seconds and the 300 hurdles in 45.33.
Jordan also ran on the winning 1,600 relay team (4:03.23) that beat Foothill by 8.91 seconds, and was third in the 100 at 12.64 behind Liberty’s Gifty Nkansah (12.46) and Valley’s Zamiah Austin (12.59).
But she felt she could have done even better.
“I’ve been struggling this year because (Centennial’s) Tiana Bonds isn’t here anymore,” Jordan said. “She was the main girl who pushed me (in hurdles) last year, so I’ve had to learn to race against the clock. I was also injured and out for six weeks.”
Jordan, who had stress fractures in both of her shins three weeks into the season, hasn’t participated in as many races as she would have liked this season but is still having a solid season. She hopes to finish it on a high note in next week’s state meet.
“This week, I’m going to race the fellow boy hurdlers,” Jordan said. “So when state comes, I’ll be ready.”
Liberty’s Nkansah, a sophomore, won the 100 and was part of the winning 400 relay team (49.37) in the Sunrise. She also finished fourth in the 200.
“It was definitely a great experience,” Nkansah said. “It shows that you can do whatever you put your mindset to. … Last year was my very first year doing track and field. Being born in England, I was definitely used to more soccer, or football. Starting track and field was so new to me.”
Green Valley’s Sydney Eastwood, who finished second in the pole vault last season, won her first individual region title with a height of 11 feet, 6 inches.
Katie Brewster finished second by clearing 11-3 for the Gators, who won the Sunrise Region with 158.2 points. Coronado was second with 111.6 points, followed by Liberty (88), Silverado (87.2) and Valley (59.5).
Centennial’s Talie Bonds won the 100 hurdles in the Sunset Region in 15.47 and was second in the 300 hurdles behind Palo Verde’s Jessica Fields (46.78).
Also in the Sunset, Centennial’s Karina Haymore won the 400 (56.98) and 800 (2:16.48) and ran anchor on the winning 1,600 relay team that finished in 3:58.57.
Teammate Alexis Gourrier won the 1,600 (5:03.17) and the 3,200 (11:11.90) and was second to Haymore in the 800. She also ran on the winning 1,600 relay team for the Bulldogs, who won their eighth consecutive Sunset Region title with 207 points.
Arbor View was second with 139.5 points, followed by Palo Verde (109.5), Desert Oasis (72.5) and Shadow Ridge (48).
Cimarron-Memorial senior Mia Russell took the 100 in 12.34 and set a personal record by winning the 200 in 25.2.
“I just came out ready to execute,” said Russell, who also ran on her team’s 400 and 1,600 relay teams. “I knew what I had to do. I wasn’t worried about anybody else. I’m usually always worried about everyone else. Now I have to keep working for next week. Correct my errors and execute more.”