Asinga Runs 6.57/20.64 Double In Prelims; Hodge Lowers 200 Meters Record To 22.77

By David Woods for DyeStat

BOSTON – Before the first round of the 60 meters, Issam Asinga saw Casey Combest in the stands of The TRACK at New Balance, and they high-fived. Perhaps there was a ballistic transfer.

Because soon thereafter, Asinga tied Combest’s 24-year-old national high school record for 60 meters Saturday. Asinga, of Montverde Academy FL, clocked 6.57 to match the mark by Combest, of Owensboro KY.

Combest was at the New Balance indoor nationals to watch his son, King, finish second in the freshman 60 meters. But Combest sensed his long-standing record would be challenged by Asinga.

“I told him to ‘go get it,’ “ Combest said. “I’m pretty proud of that record. I put a lot of time in on it. I’m glad he tied it. But I always knew someone was going to get it eventually.

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“I want my son to get it, you know. Asinga gets it, and my son comes back and gets his.”

Asinga said it was “really cool” to see in person someone whose name he had seen only on paper.

“He gave me some Combest energy,” Asinga said.

The 18-year-old sprinter was not done for the day, nor done for this meet. Nor was a Montverde sprint corps that could carry speed into the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In a dazzling display, Asinga nearly set a second national record in the fastest one-day indoor sprint double in high school history. He clocked 20.64 in prelims of the 200, just .02 off the record and equal No. 3 all-time.

Jaylen Slade of IMG Academy FL clocked 20.62 in 2021, Noah Lyles of TC Williams VA 20.63 in 2016 and Jordan Anthony of Tylertown MS ran 20.64 in 2022.

The 200 record did go down on the girls side. Adaejah Hodge, also of Montverde, clocked 22.77 in prelims to break the Feb. 11 record of 22.89 set by Mia Brahe-Pederson of Lake Oswego OR.

Hodge clocked 7.27 in the first round of the 60, or .01 behind national record-holder Shawnti Jackson of South Granville NC.

On Sunday, Asinga has semifinals and final of the 60, plus finals of the 200 and 4x400 relay.

“A great day, but I can’t get caught up in it,” he said. “I have to move on and keep focus on the next day. After tomorrow, it’s celebration then.”

Nature and nurture are fueling Asinga’s rise. He has committed to Texas A&M.

His mother is Ngozi Mwanamwambwa Asinga, a sprinter representing Zambia at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics. His father is Tommy Asinga, who represented Suriname at the 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympics. In 1991, the father was an NCAA 800 runner-up for Eastern Michigan and silver medalist at the Pan American Games.

Asinga said he was born in Georgia and he has lived in Zambia and Missouri. Last year he led Principia MO to its first state championship since 1992. He also won a 10.44/20.76 sprint double at the Great Southwest Classic.

Upon transferring to Montverde, a Florida boarding school near Orlando, he has joined the nation’s most elite sprint corps.

“My coach keeps me humble all the time,” Asinga said. “I’ve got the fastest kids in the nation on my team. So I don’t really get too big-headed. Obviously, we’ve been doing crazy things in practice, running crazy times. But it doesn’t matter unless I do it on the big stage.”

Asinga and Hodge could be on an Olympic stage as early as July 2024.

Asinga said he is considering whether to represent the United States, Zambia or Suriname. Hodge, a junior who was a double state champion in Georgia with 11.29/23.25 PBs, represents the British Virgin Islands internationally.

Contact David Woods at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.