Elmont's Hannon takes state 55 crown

ITHACA, N.Y. -- It wasn't quite the finish that Valencia Hannon had hoped for, but it still ended with a result that she wanted.

The Elmont senior finished third overall in the finals of the 55-meter race Saturday at the state indoor track championships at Cornell, but took home the state crown because she finished first among state public schools.

Hannon ran a 7.22, which was .07 seconds behind the winning time.

Kimberly Bailey of Taft and Monique Green of Campus Magnet went 1-2 in the finals for New York City's Public School Athletic League. The city schools don't compete for state crowns, only the Federation.

"I wanted the Federation title as well, but you win some and you lose some," the Clemson-bound Hannon said. "I'll gladly take the state title."

Hannon came out of the blocks in fifth and was able to push up to third place.

"There was a lot of pressure," she said. "When I went into the blocks, I wasn't as focused as I wanted to be."

It was the first indoor state championship for Hannon, who won both the outdoor state and Federation titles last year in the 100-meter dash.

"Every year I've come here, I never got that state title," she said. "I really wanted to close out my senior year with one. I know I've already signed and I know where I'll be going to college, but for me I wanted that state title."

For now, however, Hannon will turn her attention to the indoor national meet, where she will try to medal in the 200 -- an event she's quite familiar with from past outdoor seasons.

"I've been training mainly for the 200 ever since the Millrose Games," she said. "That's my race."