Elmont's Ashley Fulton wins 55, looks ahead with other qualifiers to states

One day, Ashley Fulton hopes to be sprinting at the Olympics, the grandest stage in the sport of track and field, for all the world to see. But, for now, Staten Island will have to do.

And that’s just fine with the Elmont eighth grader, who qualified for the 55 meters, 300, and 4 x 200 meter relay at next month’s state indoor track and field championships at the Nassau State Qualifier Tuesday night at St. Anthony’s High School.

Fulton won the 55 in 7.39 seconds, was second in the 300 in 42.84 seconds, and was on the 4 x 200 meter relay team that placed second in 1:47.65. Freeport’s Alexandria Yarbrough won the 300 in 40.93 seconds and anchored the 4 x 200 meter team that won in 1:45.70. The state championships are scheduled for March 7 at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island.

“My start went well and I had enough power to pass everybody in the race,” Fulton said of her 55-meter victory.

Fulton added that her start was greatly improved by her switch to blocks last month. “They bring your time down,” Fulton said.

Blocks give runners more of a concrete surface to accelerate from, making them more explosive in the first 10-15 meters of the race until they move into their transition phase for the home stretch.

This will be Fulton’s first time running at the state championships, she said.

“Hopefully, I’ll PR [personal record] and beat all the other girls,” Fulton said.  

Elsewhere, Valley Stream Central’s Olivia Nelson won the 55 hurdles in 8.34 seconds and Hempstead’s Renee Newton won the 600 in 1:36.58. North Shore’s Nicole Schneider won the 1,000 in 2:55.64, Jericho’s Mackenzie Setton won the 1,500 in 4:57.12, and South Side’s Carly Woelfel won the 3,000 in 10:29.54.

In the field, Freeport’s Efe Omokeni won the long jump, flying 18 feet, four inches and Plainedge’s Olivia Finnegan cleared five feet, two inches to win the high jump. Hewlett’s Kayley Ragazzini won the shot put, throwing 38 feet, 3 ¼ inches. On Monday, Ragazzini won the weight throw with a 48 foot, four inch throw.

On the boy’s side, Garden City’s Grant Krawiec won the 1,000 in 2:41.27 after a mad dash to the finish. The top four places finished within a second of each other, a rarity even in the competitive world of Long Island indoor track and field. Syosset’s Justin DePinto finished second in 2:41.29, Massapequa’s Luke Jarski was third in 2:41.33, and Oceanside’s Tristan Degen was fourth in 2:41.38.

It was Krawiec’s first win in the 1,000 this season, he said.

“I was expecting guys to come in fast, because it wasn’t that fast through 800” Krawiec said. “I knew I just had to kick hard and come home. I didn’t know how many people were that close to me until I crossed the finish line.”

Krawiec continued: “It was a very talented field . . . They’re really good runners. I know they have a lot of speed. I knew, with my race plan, I just had to go out hard, take the lead, and make it my own race.”

It will be Krawiec’s first indoor state meet, he said.

“I’m stoked,” Krawiec said.  

The night represented the end of a furiously demanding racing period that saw conference championships, county championships, and the state qualifier all in under a month. Now, with about the same amount of time until the state championships, athletes will have a chance to cool off and get back into a more regimented training routine as they look forward to the first Saturday of March.

“I think I’ll try and make it the best training of the season,” said Seaford’s Jason Linzer, who won the 3,200 in 9:30.99. “I’ll start tapering a little bit and getting in the right mindset.”

Linzer, who currently has the fourth fastest time in the state (9:24.28), according to milesplit.com, most likely will be in the top heat at the state championships and hopes to hang with the top group.

Elsewhere on the boys side, Farmingdale’s Andre Leslie won the 55 in 6.45 seconds and his teammate, Amir Cambridge, won the 55 hurdles in 7.89 seconds. Hempstead’s Cavel Campbell won the 300 in 35.88 seconds and East Meadow’s Chris Martinez won the 600 in 1:24.06.

In the field, Syosset’s Evan Rosen won the shot put with 48 foot, 5 ¾ inch toss. Rosen won the weight throw on Monday, with a 61 foot, 8 ¾ inch mark.