Big Things from Small Packages At The 2010 Northern Indoor National Championships

 Kellen  Newman and Semira Killebrew the littlest of Champions

There is something about the beginning of a youth track career that is so exciting and  faith renewing to watch. I remember when Lauren ran at her  first”big meet” well big for her, the California State Meet. Every one kept asking “where did she come from, because we didn’t run her  in the meets earlier in the season” (she was 6.5). She came home with 2 silver medals, photo finishes and a big smile.Our family was  hooked.

Her first National JO’s  was in Tennessee.We didn’t know what to expect, didn’t know where she would place but in the end a gold 100m  silver 200m and cooper 4th place LJ let  us know we would be back again God willing for more of that excitment that only a National Meet can give a youth athlete and their parents. 

Lets  keep a watch where these young athletes in the story below will be come the summer time JO’s maybe right back on the podium again. Thanks to Kim A.Newman  for covering this great story for TrackMom.com

At first glance when you look at these pictures the first thing that comes to mind is boy what a cute bunch of little kids;  however after a little further investigation you find that not only are they cute but they all have several things in common.  The first one is that they are all under the age of 9 years old, the 2^nd is that they are all fierce competitors, but the 3^rd  and biggest thing that they all have in common is that they are all national record holders. 

The 2010 Northern Indoor Nationals was held on the weekend of 19 February 2010, at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington IL.   The running events at this years nationals got started with a bang in the sub bantam girls division with Semira Killebrew from the Indiana Storm Track Club in Indianapolis IN shattering the existing 55M Dash record of 8.67 with a blazing fast time, and a new indoor national record  of 8.38 seconds.  It didn’t take Semira long to make her presence known again as she also set a new record in the 200M Dash with a time of 30.83 seconds(this record was broken in the finals by Shelby Butts of Strydrite TC).  Semira went on to finish 2^nd in the 200M Dash and 3^rdin the 400M Dash and a very solid performance at this years indoor national meet.  Next up is Tierra Cockrell a sub bantam girl  from The Seattle Speed Track Club in Seattle Washington,  with a high jump of 3″10″ and a Long Jump of 11″10.25″ Tierra eclipsed two northern indoor national records.  Tierra also took 3^rd place in the 55M Dash and 1^st place in the sub bantam Triathlon.  Last but not least we have  Kellen Newman, a 7 year old from the Lincoln Heights Track Club in Cincinnati OH.  Kellen waited until day two to set his record.  On his third jump in the Long Jump Kellen eclipsed the existing record of 11’2.50 ” with a jump of 11’9″.  Over the course of the weekend Kellen also took 1^st place in both the Primary Boys 55M Dash and 200M Dash.   Congratulations to these young competitors  on a job well done as they move into the outdoor season of 2010, and to their parents for recognizing the talents of these young athletes and providing the opportunity for it to flourish.

Kim Newman