Winged F Newsletter - February Part 2

FORK UNION TRACK AND FIELD NEWSLETTER

MARCH 2013

SENIOR NEMUEL OKAAH

FUMA Track continued its tradition of great performances at the New York Armory with two brilliant relay results. The 4x800 broke the eight minute barrier for the first time this year with a 7:59.87 run. Russ Garver led off with a 1:58 carry and was followed up by freshman Alex Lomong’s 1:57. Nemuel Okaah has been one of the great surprises of the 2013 season, the one year wonder took five seconds off his best and ran a very competitive 2:02. Peter Lomong went into overdrive in the final leg taking FUMA from a distant second back into the lead. Lomong held on gamely after passing the 600 mark in 1:25 and finished with a time of two minutes even. The quartet missed a medal by .04!

The 4x200 took their season to another level. After barely qualifying for the meet at 1:34.9, the team of Malcolm Cook, Arnel Combs, Charles Clardy and Clyde Gross went for broke in their heat.

With every leg running personal bests for the season, the team won their heat decisively in 1:31.59.

The effort was a season’s best by three and a half seconds and ranks as the number 2 all-time performance for a FUMA team. The quartet then had to watch the next nine heats of the event and hope their time would hold up. Two other teams would post better times but the performance by the Blue Devils was good enough for third place and a spot on the podium.

On Saturday, FUMA contested the Sprint Medley relay and had a solid 16th place performance in 3:38.5. The team of Charles Clardy, Clyde Gross, Alex Lomong and Peter Lomong did well in the wake of such outstanding efforts from the previous day. For Peter Lomong it was a first trip inside two minutes for the 800. FUMA standouts Tyron McDade and Charlton Larkins also competed in the high jump and shot put respectively . All in all, not a bad way to start Spring Break.

CHAMPIONS

Inside this issue: VPL

2

CHRIS DOW

2

ALUMNI REPORT

3

TOP MARKS

3

PHOTO GALLERY

4

FUMA DOES IT AGAIN RELAYS AND FIELD EVENTS COME UP BIG Imagine winning the Super Bowl and then playing for the Division title a week later. That’s pretty much what Prep League Track athletes do every year. Though many complain about the anti– climatic nature of the meet, the relaxed attitude of the event still produces great marks. For State Meet winning FUMA teams it has also meant one more championship as well. FUMA ran fantastic in the relays, winning both the 4x800 and 4x400.

The 4x800 effort was good enough to punch a ticket to New York in mid March.

The field events carried the day again for FUMA with Seniors Charlton Larkins, Dondre Wright and Brian Burton all claiming wins. Wright won the long jump with a personal best and Burton was the upset winner in the high jump. Larkins made it a clean sweep in the shot put for his two years in Indoor Track, four meets, four championships. Clyde Gross won the high hurdles for the second week in a row edging teammate Tyron McDade. Gross ran a scorching 7.57 effort in the prelims. The workhorse in the effort was senior Russ Garver. After running a leg on the winning 4x800, Garver, ran the two longest races and kept FUMA up in scoring column against arch rival Woodberry Forest. The Blue Devils hung on for a 12 point victory, wrapping up one of the most exciting championship seasons in recent memory.

CHRIS DOW 1982-2013

FUMA CLASS OF 2001 It is with great sadness that we report the passing of All-American Chris Dow ( FUMA 2001). Chris was the Salutatorian of the FUMA graduating class in 2001 and a UVA graduate in 2010. Chris passed away peacefully on February 18th.

To FUMA track, Chris is best remembered for his relay carries in 2001 when FUMA earned All-American honors in the 4x800. He is also remembered for his intellectual debates with FUMA legend Fred Hardy. A sub 2 minute 800 runner, the Virginia Beach native was a big part of the team effort for his entire four years at FUMA. He ran in the Penn Relays twice and was known for his all-out style of running. The 2001 National meet in Landover, Maryland was his signature moment. Chris ran in the National meet in each of his last three years at FUMA. Each meet seemed to be a tease with Chris just missing making All-American. In his senior year, FUMA placed 7th in the Distance Medley, one spot from the podium.

On the following day, the team of Dow, Kippy Keino, Erik Uber and Michael Redden were placed in the slow heat. They would have to go all– out and hope that it would be enough. Fortunately for Chris and the other three, it was. Dow’s sub two minute split was huge for the cause. Chris was also a very steady performer in Cross Country for Head Coach Todd Giszack. For several years after his graduation, Chris was honored at the Gus Lacy Track Classic by having an event named for him. We will continue that in the years to come. We will also always remember what he did for this team and this school! He is what FUMA is all about.

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VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2

ALUMNI UPDATES

IDZIAK EARNS NCAA ALL -AMERICAN HONORS FUMA 2012 alum Michael Idziak wasted no time getting to the top of collegiate track and field. After one season, the Polish native is already an All– American. Michael finished fifth at Division II Nationals in Birmingham, Alabama. Idziak’s time was 1:51.16.

Jordan Roach hasn’t wasted any time either. The Coastal Carolina freshmen won his first Collegiate competition in the discus with a throw of 158 feet. Roach may well be an NCAA qualifier this year! Avery Martin and Staton Mayfield finished out the indoor season with scoring performances in the Big South Conference meet. Denver Wright was a provisional qualifier for the D2 indoor meet and Caleb Haney ran on a scoring relay in the Patriot League. Go FUMA Track alums!

STATON MAYFIELD

WINGED F—FOR LIFE! STILL CRAZY

TOP MARKS FOR INDOOR 2013 LONG JUMP TRIPLE JUMP HIGH JUMP POLE VAULT SHOT PUT 4X800 55 HH 55 4X200 1600 500 1000 300 3200 4X400

THE WINGED F

DONDRE WRIGHT TYRON MCDADE TYRON MCDADE RAINS MAYFIELD CHARLTON LARKINS NEMUEL OKAAH, RUSS GARVER, ALEX LOMONG, PETER LOMONG CLYDE GROSS MALCOLM COOK MALCOLM COOK, ARNEL COMBS, CHARLES CLARDY, CLYDE GROSS RUSS GARVER ALEX LOMONG PETER LOMONG CLYDE GROSS RUSS GARVER PETER LOMONG, COLLIN MCLELLAN, CHARLES CLARDY, ALEX LOMONG

21’1 41’2 6’4 13’6 51’4 3/4 7:59.87 7.57 6.69 1:31.59 4:34.23 1:06.46 2:37.56 36.15 10:02.07 3:31.41

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FUMA TRACK AND FIELD NEWSLETTER

COACH BROWN FUMA BOX 278 4744 JAMES MADISON HWY FORK UNION, VA. 23055 Phone: 434-842-4289 Fax: 434-842-4299 E-mail: brownw@fuma.org Follows us on Twitter @TheWingedF

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