Record weekend shines spotlight on area runner
Two days after a record-shattering showing at track and field’s U. S. 20- and- under championships, 16-year-old Kaylin Whitney finally came back down to Earth and crashed in the comfort of her own bed.
Whitney slept into the afternoon Tuesday after flying backMonday to Orlando from Eugene, Ore., where she broke Florida high-school and World Youth (under-18) records in the 100- and 200-meter dashes at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Junior Championships this pastweekend.
“The time change really did get me,” Whitney said. “I’m so glad my coaches gave me two days off, but I got my little sleep in, and I’m feeling great now.”
The state 100 and 200 champion as a freshman and sophomore for Clermont East Ridge achieved greatness at theUniversity of Oregon.
Whitneywon Saturday’s 100 in a time of 11.10 seconds to break the high-school national record by one-hundredth of a second and eclipse aWorldYouth (ages16-17) record of 11.13, set 38 years ago by Jacksonville Ribault’s Chandra Cheeseborough.
Whitney then dominated Sunday’s 200 final against collegiate runners with a performance that smashed the World Youth record of 22.58, set in 1992 by former Olympic gold medalist Marion Jones. Whitney’s 22.49 ranksNo. 2 on the high-school all-time list, trailing only a 22.11 run at altitude inMexico City in 2003 by reigning Olympic 200 champion Allyson Felix.
“I’ve looked up to those runners ever since I was a child,” Whitney said. “Going above and beyond the level of expectations is so awesome. I love this sport so much.”
That, said Damu Cherry-Mitchell, who helps train Whitney through Star Athletics, is key to her success.
“We know Kaylin is just getting her career started,” Cherry-Mitchell said. “We want to make sure she continues to have fun. She’s still going to be a junior in high school next year.”
Whitney, whowon’t turn17 untilMarch, will return to Oregon’s historic Hayward Field for the IAAF World Junior Championships from July 22-27.
She is eighth-fastest on the 2014 women’s world list for the 200 and No. 17 in the 100. The youngest sprinter ahead of her is 20.