Thirteen Tallulah Falls School track & field athletes were among 2,309 entries in two divisions from 176 schools in three states who competed in the Last Chance Invitational in Birmingham, Alabama, over the weekend.
The athletes got to compete on the world class Mondo surface of the 4,000-seat Birmingham CrossPlex. The six lane, hydraulically banked track has eight straightaway lanes for sprinting and a full array of indoor field event venues. It is only one of six in the US and eight in the world. The separate four lane, 60m warm up track displays the vision of details necessary to host national championships from youth to every division of the NCAA.
The CrossPlex provides an opportunity for the average, as well as the elite, to experience competing in a venue that packs a big ‘wow’ factor.
Invitational results
Competing in the A-5A division, TFS athletes set three school records, tied one, and established another. Though not at full strength, Perry Gresham established the TFS indoor 3200m record and broke her 800m indoor record. Anna Davis finished third in A-5A and sixth of 26 overall in the pentathlon with 2685 points to break her school record from last year. Anna also set new TFS indoor standards in the pentathlon shot put.
Senior newcomer Sarah Catherine Fordham set personal records in the 800m and 1600m. Madison Ball won her 60m sprint heat while setting a PR. Sydney Spivey set personal records in the 60m hurdles. Ball and Jenni Gallagher competed in the shot put while Gallagher also pole vaulted. Spivey, Ball, Gresham, and Davis ran 2:00.76 in the 800m relay.
Freshman Grey Bourlet earned TFS Athlete of the Meet honors by setting personal bests in the pole vault (10’6), 60m hurdles (10.06), and 400m (56.60). Zac Smith ran 11:13.88 in the 3200m to place 26th of 49 entrants, 5:21.62 to place 44th of 79 in the 1600m, and 2:20.30 to place 34th of 79 in the 800m. Gabe Iluma ran the 60m (7.95), pole vaulted 9’ 6 and ran the 800m relay. Ajani McIntosh ran the 60m, 400m, long jump, and 800m relay. Caleb Griffis set PRs in the shot put and 800m. Chance Bess set an indoor shot put personal record. Jesse Gulle competed in both horizontal jumps, 60m, and 800m relay.
For more photos from this weekend’s invitational visit TFS on Facebook
