Fire On The Track At The Denver South Rebel Invite

Denver South Rebel Invitational
Bobby Reyes

Joel Nyatusah ran a state-leading, and nation-leading, 13.98 in the 110 hurdles Thursday.

Overland's Joel Nyatusah crouched down in his starting blocks. He teetered back and forth for a moment, while he adjusted his hands on the red track just before the white line. His white spikes dug into the blocks, which would be his launching pad.

In the distance cars cruised down the highway, creating a welcoming white noise. The crowd was silent as they waited for gun to fire, signaling the start of the boy's 110 hurdles. The field remained still as the starter's gun pointed into the air, waiting to explode, like the five bodies on the track waiting to out of the blocks. Everyone waited, and waited, and waited. 

Nyatusah closed his eyes and focused on the moment. Soon it would be all over, but right now, the race was ahead of him. Life was calm now, but soon it would be chaos. When the gun shot, Nyatusah and some of the best hurdlers in the state stormed the track.

Nyatusah led the charge over the first hurdle, and the second, and the third. For a few precious moments it appeared that Darrius Gaw was keeping pace - and he almost was. But in a race that lasts less than 15 seconds, every tiny step matters, and every inch gained or lost makes the difference, and Nyatusah was inching ahead with each passing hurdle. 
When he cleared the final obstacle in his way, he put his head down and powered his muscular arms towards the finish line, leaning in right as he crossed - in 13.98.
The crowd - unknowing of his time - gasped at the sheer speed of the race. They knew they had just witnessed an incredible performance. 
Nyatusah's 13.98 was not only the fastest time in the state - it's currently the fastest time in the country.
The result was the theme of the day, as the 2018 South Denver Rebel Invitational saw some of the best sprint results thus far. 

RESULTS
PHOTOS