Was there ever a doubt.
With the weekend that Lisa Raye has had at the New Balance Nationals, was there ever a doubt that she wouldn’t conclude it with another victory? Was there ever a doubt that she wouldn’t earn her second national title on the absolute biggest of stages?
Finishing off an amazing three days inside the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field. the West Warwick sophomore did what most probably expected on Sunday by powering her way to the 200m title with a time of 22.77 seconds. Unlike the 100m, which she won in convincing fashion on Saturday, this one wasn’t determined until the late stages of the race. Locked in a three-way battle with Montverde Academy (FL) teammates Skyler Franklin and defending titlist Adaejah Hodge coming down the final straightaway, Raye once again demonstrated her outstanding closing speed to break from her rivals with about 40m left, an effort that enabled her to break the tape at the end. Franklin placed second at 23.00, while Hodge secured third in 23.01.
“I heard them coming and had to think positive during the race,” she said. “I found another gear inside me to run hard and fast through the line.”
Raye was one of two R.I. athletes to win on final day at New Balance. In the javelin, the Wheeler School’s Scott Sloan surprised the competition with a winning toss and huge PR of 206 feet, 6 inches. Sloan improved on his previous best of 194-6 from his victory at the Classical Classic on April 27 in only his second year competing in the event.
“I was looking to get top eight to go to finals,” he said. “I put everything in to be able peak exactly at this moment. This is my day to perform as well as I could, and I did. I came into the warmup throws, I was felling amazing. I knew it was going to be a good day.”
Classical’s Thomas Breen maintained his consistency this season with a near best of 1:52.69 in Championship 800m. The RI state champion was second in his heat and 24th overall. Breen also ran a 1:53.28 anchor leg in his team’s 4x800m relay that finished 19th on Saturday in a state best of 7:53.41.
