Florida High's Danzy, Lincoln's Grace, local athletes post state best times at FSU Relays
There was standing room only at Mike Long Track for the FSU Relays Saturday afternoon.
After Friday's severe weather forced some schedule changes on night one, the rain stayed mostly away for day two, only impacting the boy's 400-meter hurdles.
Ahead of the final three heats of the hurdles, the rain started coming down, forcing runners to compete with one another and Mother Nature.
Despite the change in game plan, Lincoln's Rance Grace was ready for the moment as he said he knew the rain was coming.
"You just gotta focus on what you came here to do. I called the rain before it happened, I was like that cloud over there, we are running in the rain," Grace said about the race. "Regardless of the conditions, you still must rise above all obstacles thrown at us. So you just got to your mind on what you need to do and what you got to get done."
Grace ran a 54.10 final time, good for first place at the event, his personal best time and the third-best time in the state.
Competing with Chiles's Cade Swart, who ranks as the number two 400-meter hurdler in the nation, Grace said the competition is something that he loves.
"We try to hold that Tallahassee love for one another, we are overall athletes with love for the sport and the community," Grace said. "We all just trying to make it to college, just trying to run and do what we love. So it's good to make sure that everyone works with each other to get to the places that we all want to go."
One of Lincoln's top runners, Grace competed against Swart and the nation's top hurdler, Lake Minola junior Kai Evans, in the 100-meter hurdles.
Taking home a sixth-place finish in the event, Grace said he was hoping he'd be able to test himself against Evans again in the 400-meter, but the junior didn't run.
"Kai was supposed to be running, you know number one in the nation and number two in the nation, we were just going to try and see if we can make something shake," Grace said. "See how good we can put on a show for this crowd."
Being able to compete with some of the area's best, like Swart, and do it on home turf at Florida State, Grace said the Relays was a showcase for all of Tallahassee's track and field talent.
"It means a lot being able to show what the city has done for me," Grace said. "To show what the support and the coaches of this city and the way that has all pushed me to do the best I can regardless of the environment, the atmosphere and the weather."
Florida High's Danzy overcoming injury, runs blistering 400-meter
On the grounds of his future home, Florida High's Micahi Danzy wanted to show his prospective coaches at Florida State what he was capable of on the track.
Running a blistering 46.77 400-meter dash, Danzy posted the second-best time in the state with his victory at the FSU Relays.
"It meant a lot to show in front of my coach, come and show that I still got it," Danzy said. "There is still a lot to improve on, I don't want anyone to doubt me about getting that 45."
Both a football and track commit at FSU, Danzy had support from both of his future teams at the FSU Relays. Members of the FSU football team attended night one of the relays to see Danzy compete, and the senior said it means a lot to him to have that support.
"It means a lot watching my teammates support me," Danzy said. "It shows they love me and like me a lot."
Still adjusting to the track after a thigh injury ended his senior football season early, Danzy said the mental roadblocks of the injury have been the hardest to deal with, but he's pushing past it.
Determined to defend his state title crown in the 400-meter, Danzy said his recovery was not easy and getting back to the track was a huge challenge. Now that he is back running, the senior is determined not to let anything slow him down.
"It was a lot I had to get past, in the back of my head there was this energy, but I can't let that stop me," Danzy said. "I just gotta keep pushing every day. It's not gonna stop me."
Local athletes post top state times, jumps, throws.
Athletic directors, coaches, and athletes, if you posted a top-3 time, jump, or throw at the FSU Relays please send it to lrooney@tallahassee.com asap!
Rickards senior Me'Yauney Peoples posted a long jump of 6.03, ranking her second in the state in the event. Fellow Raider senior Randall Pompey posted an FSU Relay winning high jump of 2.03, good for the second-highest jump in the state.
Leon senior Bryce Davis upped his state-best shot put, posting a 17.88 at the FSU Relays for a second-place finish, beating his previous best of 17.56.
Saturdays Results
Results for local athletes will be added, scores can be found here: FSU Relays (HS) (pttiming.com)
Liam Rooney covers preps sports for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Big Bend track and field athletes star at FSU Relays
