WESTFORD’S TWEEDIE, LOWELL’S JONES SOAR
Both capture state titles at the Reggie Lewis Center
ROXBURY >> When it comes to sprinting, being able to make the transition from the start out of the blocks to top speed is a craft that makes the average runner an elite one.
On Friday night, Westford Academy senior Elliana Tweedie was able to pull that off to perfection after she got off to an unusual slow start. Trailing early, she accelerated through the mid-point of the race and that was enough to come away with the 55-meter dash title with a time of 7.22 seconds during the Division 1 state track and field meet at the Reggie Lewis Center.
“(Making the transition) is natural for me as long as I can get my body to make the transition for me,” said the future Boston University runner. “So, when I’m down (and it’s time) my body will tell me to stand up, keep my back straight and have good posture. My turnover speed definitely needs work so I can power through my races because I have a lot of strength right now. My turnover speed is not as good because I stopped lifting (weights) so I’m leaning more. That’s what I’m working on now getting my knees up so I can transition faster.”
Tweedie went on to explain that in January she stopped lifting weights because her legs and body “got too big.” She was dead-lifting 320 pounds at one point. That power from several years of lifting weights allowed her to come from behind for the victory.
“I felt like I had a bad reaction time almost. As soon as I accelerated with my top end speed, and I hit that, I was able to make my way back to the front. Blocks are usually my strong suit so it was kind of a bad start for me, but I made it through anyways,” she said. “Recently my blocks have been really good. I usually have a good drive base and I can stay down for as long as I need to during a race. But today, being 4:30 in the afternoon, I’m a little tired and it’s towards the end of the day but I definitely had some energy.”
As expected, Lowell’s Ronnie Jones came away with the title in the shot put. Last week at the Merrimack Valley Conference championship meet she threw a record of 43 feet, and she didn’t
quite match that this time, throwing 40-8.
“Coming in I knew I was seeded first and although I didn’t match what I did in the last meet, I still got the job done,” she said.
Jones went on to say that she switches between the spin and the glide technique, depending on how she feels that day, or in the preliminary round throws. She knew she was off with her spin, so she switched to the glide.
“Last indoor season I was all spin, and outdoor I went to glide. This year I
have been more spin, but I always know that I have the glide in my back pocket. I’m just not as consistent with the spin. Today I just felt like I was off for some reason. I just wasn’t on today. But I’m pumped to finally have a title at this meet under my belt. Last year I finished fifth.”
Also, for the Lowell girls Quinn Petzold was second in the long jump in 17-08.50 and she also picked up a fourth in the 300 in 40.94 seconds. Petzold and Jones joined with Bridget Geary and Britney Ogiegor to finish second in the 4×200 relay with a combined time of 1:44.95. Finally, Annie Gilman was seventh in the two mile in