Battle Too Fast at Inaugural Akinosun Elite Invitational

Edwardsville’s Brandon Battle double win highlights two day meet at new Chicago Indoor Track Facility

By Michael Newman

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We got an idea how fast the new 200-meter banked oval was on just the first running event of the Akinosun Elite Invitational at Gately Park Indoor Track and Field Facility.

The meet was named after Morolake Akinosun, the former state champion from Waubonsie Valley and Olympic Gold Medalist on the United States’ 4x100m Relay team in 2016, who was in attendance for the two-day meet.

RESULTS

Akinosun saw a star in the making in Brandon Battle of Edwardsville. The senior has started off to a quick 2021 season running the fastest indoor 400-meter time in Illinois state meet in January at a meet in Ohio. Battle was the only athlete to win two events winning the 200 Meter Dash on Friday and then the 400 Meter Dash Saturday afternoon.

Battle easily won his heat in the 200 Meter Dash running a swift 21.86, the fastest time in the preliminaries of the event. It was no different in the finals as Battle unleashed a solid start on his way to the win in 21.50 (US #6). Jaylin Holmes of East Kentwood MI, competing for the GR Fire Club, had run 22.05 in the prelims. He settled for second place running 22.17. Holmes came back on Saturday to run 6.91 to win the 60 Meter Dash.

Battle was not pushed on Saturday in the 400 Meter Dash as he pulled away early from Plainfield South’s Niko Schultz to run 48.69 for his second win of the meet. It was the 200 the night before that had the limited number of people inside this new facility that had people talking.

“I have been training differently than I ever have doing push-ups, core work every day,” Battle said in an interview after his race on Friday. “I ran cross-country last fall which helped. I did not do a lot of miles, but I did three to four miles a day that helped me build my base. That strength and endurance helped.”

Kaila Jackson of Detroit Renaissance MI, competing with the Track Life University Club, led a 1-2-3 sweep with her club teammates in the Girls 200 Meter Dash, Jackson’s time of 24.19 (US #7) finished ahead of teammates Brooke Gray (24.62) and Leeah Burr (24.70). Jackson’s speed also showed in the 60 Meter Dash. The junior ran 7.53 to lead all athletes in the preliminaries. She chose not to run in the finals which was won by Asia Thomas of Hounds and Foxes TC. The sophomore from Chicago’s Kenwood Academy ran 7.67 in the finals to claim the race win.

Fast Times in the Distance Events

Kai Connor of Westfield IN had the fastest time of the four sections in the 1600 Meter Run held on Friday evening. The junior ran 4:23.17 to win the second section. Expectations were high on what could happen in the final section of this event held Saturday afternoon.

That race did not disappoint especially with the top three finishers running under 4:21. Arthur Graham of Naperville Central has displayed a strong finish in his races. The senior showed that speed in winning the race (4:16.81) just edging St. Charles East junior Micah Wilson by just 17 hundredths of a second. Wilson achieved a personal best in running 4:16.98. Nick Falk of New Trier ran 4:20.71 to finish third.

A noteworthy performance in this event was turned in from Gavin Genisio from Benton who ran 4:26.61 to win the fourth section on Friday evening. Genisio is just a freshman that turned in the second fastest time for his class in the nation for the 1600m-1 Mile Run this indoor season. He came back on Saturday to run 1:59.89 in the 800 Meter Run.

Niko Schultz of Plainfield South almost had a double win Saturday afternoon. His double in the 800 Meter Run and then coming back 45 minutes later in the 400 Meter Dash was even more impressive. Schultz ran a top ten indoor time nationally and a two second personal best as he crossed the line for the win in the 800 at 1:54.41. Crosstown rival Ryan Maseman of Plainfield North ran 1:56.87 to finish second just ahead of Taft’s Lucas Guidone who ran 1:57.46 to finish third.

Sophia McNerney of Downers Grove South led from the start and never gave up the lead to win the Girls 800 Meter Run. The junior achieved a six second personal best with her 2:18.68 winning time. Audrey Allman of Glenbard West (2:19.66) and Josie Bond of Naperville North (2:19.91) finished second and third.

Two runners went under five-minutes in the Girls 1600 Meter Run. Annie Christie of Carmel IN ran 4:58.39 to claim the win just one second ahead of second place Kylie Finger of Oconomowoc WI (4:59.44).

Other Meet Notes

Jayden Ulrich of East-Alton Wood River HS had little trouble in winning the Girls Shot Put Friday evening. The senior, in her second meet of the season, delivered a 14.27m (46’ 9.75”) to win the event by close to 16-feet. Her performance in the event ranks her #3 in the United States so far in this indoor season. Barry Evans of Mascoutah won the Boys Shot Put with a 14.49m (47’6 6.5”) winning effort.

It just took one attempt for Dillon Peters of Andrew to win the Boys Triple Jump Friday evening. Peters, one of the top horizontal athletes in the state, jumped 14.07m (46’ 2”) to win the event ahead of Carson Key of Bishop Miege KS (13.83m, 45’ 4.5”).

Madison Summers of Whitney Young, competing for the Windy City Hammers, jumped 11.30m (37’ 1”) to win the Girls Triple Jump just ahead of Bria Armstrong of Bloom Township. Armstrong’s jump was just two inches behind that of Saunders (11.25m, 36’ 11”).

Kylie Gormann of Centralia HS, competing for Southern Illinois Striders, jumped 5.55m (18’ 2.5”) to win the Girls Long Jump.

Jayden McCulskie-Green of Sandwich won by just one centimeter ahead of Elijah Miller in the Boys Long Jump. The senior jumped 6.43m (21’ 1.25”) for the win.

Just one hundredth of a second separated the top two finishers in the Boys 60 Meter Hurdles. Kevyere Mack of Peoria Richwoods ran 8.29 for the win edging Logan Buck of Pekin who ran 8.30. Both athletes compete for the One Motion Athletic Club. Gracie Jessup of Salt Fork ran 9.36 to win the Girls 60 Meter Hurdles.

Brooke Gray of Brighton MI ran a personal best of 56.34 in winning the Girls 400 Meter Dash.