Montverde Academy Duo Re-Write High School Record Book On Final Day At NBNI

By David Woods for DyeStat

BOSTON – March Madness descended Sunday on the TRACK at New Balance, and we are not talking hoops. In fact, we are not talking.

We are gasping. Marveling. Processing . . . and will be for a while.

In 200-meter races minutes apart, Montverde FL sprinters Issam Asinga and Adaejah Hodge broke national high school records Sunday at the New Balance indoor nationals. The thing is, these could not be accurately described as high school times.

Moreover, Asinga tied the 24-year-old national record of 6.57 in Saturday’s first round of the 60 meters. He won Sunday’s final in 6.59 – after the 200m.

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“I don’t think I can say anything that can accurately describe what I just witnessed here. Wow,” Montverde coach Gerald Phiri said.

Times in the 200 were 20.48 for Asinga, 22.33 for Hodge.

On 2023 world lists, Asinga ranks 12th and Hodge third. That is all sprinters, all countries, all ages.

Third.

Give that girl a bronze medal. Hodge is on track to represent the British Virgin Islands at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the real medals are.

“This is just the beginning,” she said.

Hodge broke the Under-20 world indoor record of 22.40 set in 2008 by Bianca Knight, who was then a Texas freshman in the NCAA Championships.

Sanya Richards-Ross, Sydney McLaughlin and Allyson Felix were not as fast as U20s. You might have heard of them.

And Hodge, a Georgia state champion last year, won’t turn 17 for a few days. Her 22.33 is faster than the outdoor under-18 world record.

“I never saw this in a million years. Oh my God,” Phiri said. “Are you serious?”

It was the second prep record in as many days for Hodge. Her 22.76 in prelims Saturday broke the record of 22.89 set Feb. 11 by Mia Brahe-Pederson of Lake Oswego OR.

Phiri had speculated 22.4 might be plausible for Hodges . . . but on an outdoor oval without tight turns and high banks.

Hodges reacted much as her coach did: “I don’t know what happened. Oh my gosh.”

Hodge, in lane 5, had a target in lane 6: Shawnti Jackson of South Granville NC. Jackson, with a 22.91 PB, is national record holder at 60 meters and 300. After Hodge stormed past, Jackson appeared to be slowed by a tight hamstring to finish in 23.69, third in the section and fifth overall.

Hodge said she told herself to keep knees up and run the curve.

“It’s all a mental thing. I trust God,” she said. “God knew this was coming. He put me through great trials and tribulations.”

In the boys 200, the 18-year-old Asinga broke the high school record of 20.62 set by Jaylen Slade of IMG FL in 2021. Noah Lyles of TC Williams VA, the American record-holder and reigning world champion, clocked 20.63 in 2016.

On the all-time U20 indoor list, Asinga trails only Olympic medalists Walter Dix (20.37) and LaShawn Merritt (20.40), both from 2005.

“It’s still surreal to me,” said Asinga, a Texas A&M signee. “It’s going to take a little bit for it to really settle in.”

Asinga, also in lane 5, had a formidable target in lane 6: Brody Buffington of Catoctin MD.

It could be argued Buffington had one of the greatest one-day sprint doubles, considering he was second to Asinga with times of 6.64 and 20.71.

“Once I passed him, I knew I was in contention for something special,” Asinga said. “I didn’t know it was going to be that special.”

He is the son of two Olympians: Tommy Asinga, an 800m runner for Suriname, and Ngozi Mwanamwambwa Asinga, a sprinter representing Zambia. Asinga said he was born in Georgia and has lived in Zambia and Missouri. Last year he led Principia MO to its first state championship since 1992.

Phiri said Asinga, a soccer player, looked special from the first day of practice. Like a shaken soda can, something was about to pop. 

“There’s nothing normal about him,” Phiri said. “I like to say victory loves preparation. He prepared for this day, and he was able to deliver when it mattered.”

Phiri, 34, was asked a few years ago to help coach the track teams by his wife, Khrystal, the athletic director at Montverde. Phiri is a former Texas A&M sprinter and twice represented Zambia in the Olympics.

Now the coach is in charge of one of the greatest collections of teen talent in the sport’s history.

“I don’t know when we’re going to see athletes like this ever again,” Phiri said. “I think it is going to be a very long time.”

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