Colorado Gets Real At The VA Showcase

The REAL Training girl's Sprint Medley Relay ran a US No. 1 in the event.

While Colorado is deep in winter through the middle of January, a few dozen Colorado track and field athletes headed east to Virginia Beach, VA for the VA Showcase.

The tight 200-meter banked indoor track was the canvass of which Colorado's ambitious tracksters painted their early 2021 work on. 

Quite a few opened the new year with new personal bests. 

What's the phrase?

New Year, New Me..?

Either way, plenty skipped the whole "cob-web" phase of early racing and came out appearing already fit for track.

There were plenty of great performances, so we'll highlight the highlights...

The REAL Training girl's Sprint Medley Relay gets a big spotlight here - they ran the fastest time in the country. The quartet of Taylor James, Kimora Northrup, Skylar Hawk, and Jordan Burnett ran away with the big W to win the SMR in a US No. 1. 

In addition to her anchor duties, James came out of the blocks swinging, per the usual. 

The Niwot senior put together an impressive triple (excluding her relays). She finished fifth in the 500 and the 800, running 1:16.08 in the 500, and 2:12.26 in the 800. Her 500 is the No. 7 time in the country, while her 800 is No. 5. Additionally she finished 12th in the 300 in 40.43.

Taylor Whitfield clearly hasn't lost a step since the cross country season ended three months ago. The Valor Christian senior ran a personal best of 10:39 to finish 10th in the Invite 2-mile - that's the No. 10 time in the country in the event. Whitfield's 2-mile also came after the Invite Mile, where she placed 11th in 5:01 - the No. 12 time in the country. 

Valor teammates Jocelyn Millican and Brooke Wilson put together an impressive 5-6 finish in the 1,600 - both were clocked at 5:10 - both top-20 times nationally. 

In the triple jump Melody Nwagwu opened her season with a stellar 38-11.75 to win the event. The mark is currently No. 8 in the country. Meanwhile, Steadfast Track Academy teammate Teagan Zwaanstra opened her season with a 18-7 long jump to finish eighth in the event - a US No. 17 mark.

On the boy's side of the competition Gavin Schurr continued to impress. The Fairview senior finished third in the 55, running 6.36 in the prelims and the finals. His time is currently No. 5 in the country.

Ty Garrett was another bright spot over the four-day meet. The Valor sophomore doubled in the 1,600 and 2-mile, running two personal bests. He opened his weekend with a 4:22 PR in the 1,600 where he finished third, but it was his performance in the 2-mile that really turned heads. Garrett ran 9:07 for a US No. 2 in the Invite 2-mile. 

Gregory Anderson had himself a big weekend as well. Anderson ran 7.51 in the prelims of 55 hurdles. The time is currently No. 7 in the country. He went on to finish eighth in the finals.