Nike Elite Camp welcomes top sprinters/hurdlers

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Some of the fastest young athletes in the country will take part in the second Nike Elite Camp for sprinters and hurdlers.

Next Monday, 17 of them will fly into Portland for a four-day session that will include workouts, activities, informative talks from some of the biggest names in the business, and of course, valuable networking. Ten of the 17 recently competed at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia.

Among this year's group of campers are two of the top high school sprinters in the nation. Candace Hill of Rockdale County is recently back stateside after winning double gold medals in the 100 and 200 meters at the World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia.

And Michael Norman, one of the most outstanding 200-400 sprinters to come along in decades, is making a return trip to Nike Elite Camp. The Vista Murrieta CA star has designs on competing at the Olympic Trials next year. 

Here is a closer look at the athletes invited to this year's Nike Elite Camp for sprinters and hurdlers:

Boys Sprints

Josephus Lyles, TC Williams VA -

Earned a silver (400) and bronze (200) at the World Youth Championships with PRs of US#2 45.46 and US#4 20.74. ... Making his second trip to Nike Elite Camp ... Virginia Class 6A champion in the 400 meters and runner-up in the 200.

Michael Norman, Vista Murrieta CA - 

Gatorade Male Track and Field Athlete of the Year ... Double wins at the CIF Finals included jaw-dropping times of 45.19 (No. 6 all-time) and 20.30. ... Ran a PR 20.24 (tied for No. 5 all-time) at the U.S. Junior Championships, taking second to Noah Lyles.

London Dunn, DeSoto TX - 

One of the top rising juniors in the country with a 100-meter PR of 10.35. … Placed second in the 100 at the Texas Relays … Texas 6A Region 1 champion in the 100.

Keshun Reed, Martin TX - 

Bronze medalist at the World Youth Championships in the 400 meters; gold medalist in the mixed 4x400 relay. … Texas Class 6A champion in the 400 meters with US#3 45.75.

Julian Body, Jesuit OR - 

Oregon Class 6A champion in the 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles … Broke all-time state record in the 400 hurdles with US#4 51.98 at the U.S. Junior championships.

Maxwell Willis, Bowie MD -

Competed for the U.S. at the World Youth Championships and ran a wind-legal PR of 20.99 in the prelims. … Maryland Class 4A champion in both the 100 and 200 meters.

Shamon Ehiemua, Marshall TX -

Won the Texas Class 5A 200 meters with US#7 20.89. … Part of Marshall relay teams that ran US#8 40.71 in the 4x100 and US#2 1:24.01 in the 4x200

Isaiah Lucas, Cypress Falls TX - 

Bronze medalist in the 110-meter hurdles at the World Youth Championships … Ran a wind-aided 13.37 to place second at the Texas Class 6A meet.

Jamal Walton, American FL - 

Florida resident competed primarily for the Cayman Islands rather than his high school. He finished fourth at World Youth Championships with 45.99 in the 400 meters and third in the CARIFTA Games in 47.43. … He also won the Golden South Classic with 46.22.

Girls Sprints

Zaria Francis, Rio Mesa CA -

Was a double winner at the CIF Finals in the 100 and 200 with 11.31/23.09. … Finished the season ranked US#4 in both events.  

Maya Perkins, Long Beach Poly CA -

Placed fourth in the CIF Southern Section Finals in both the 100 and 200 meters. … A member of Long Beach Poly relay that ran US#9 46.02 in the 4x100.

Lauren Rain Williams, Oaks Christian CA -

Silver medalist at the World Youth Championships in the 200 with 22.90 seconds, tying for No. 11 all-time. … Her 100 meters best of 11.37 is US#6 this year. … Anchored CIF Finals champion 4x100 relay team.

Candace Hill, Rockdale County GA -

National record holder in the 100 meters and the first high school girl to go under 11 seconds (10.98). … Double gold medalist in the 100 and 200 meters at the World Youth Championships with meet records in both events (11.08 and 22.43). … Georgia state champion in the 100 and 200 and meet record holder in both events. … Undefeated in high school in the 100 meters.

Khalifa St. Fort, St Thomas Aquinas FL - 

She competes independently of high school with coach Ato Boldon and internationally for Trinidad & Tobago. ... She took silver at the World Youth Championships in the 100 meters with a huge PR of 11.19. The same day she also ran 11.24 in the semifinals.

Alexis Duncan, DeSoto TX -

Returns to Nike Elite Camp for the second year … Ran to world youth leading time of 12.95 in the semifinals of the 100 hurdles (30 inches) at World Youth Championships and finished seventh in the final. … Texas Class 6A champion in both the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles.

Symone Mason, Southridge FL -

US World Youth Trials champion in the 400 meters with US#5 52.80. … Finished eighth in the 400 at the World Youth Championships. … Ran US#6 23.37 in the 200 at the Golden South Classic.

Mecca McGlaston, Dublin CA -

Returns to Nike Elite Camp for the second year. … Ran US#2 13.18 in the 100 hurdles at the CIF Finals, taking second. … Did not compete until May after coming back from injury.