London Alexander.. USATF MG 800m Silver Medalist

London “Stealth” Alexander 2012 MG 800m  

One of the most personally exciting races for me this season was the MG 800m final. Why you ask? Well because of  London Alexander Quiet Fire’s Midget girl who quietly earned her way from a  tiny,compact package of sweetness and smiles with a winning personality to Silver Medalist in the MG 800m.

London’s work ethic  could rival the elites.  She is a coaches dream ,parents delight and a track fans joy to cheer on and hope for the best always. London has been the perfect example of our team name, she is a true  “Quiet Fire”.

I call London a “Stealth Fighter”  you just don’t know where she will pop up and for sure she always makes a statement you can’t ignore. I first saw London run about 2 years or so ago and I was immediately struck by her tenacity while she didn’t always win she always competed well .

This year we of the Quiet Fire Team had the distinct pleasure to welcome London to our team family.Immediately she impacted the others with her positive and lively approach to practice. She showed the most respect and confidence I have ever seen from such a young athlete. Always engaging and fun loving. Her team mates all embraced her and she was a favorite to be around at the season meets.

London was not always the most winning of  athletes week in and week out but she was always tenacious, never a negative word or action. I had observed during the season sometimes as  part of  her training she ran  the 100m, 200m and 400m races and would come in anywhere from 1st through last  sometimes.sometimes.To her parents credit she always understood the big picture,development FIRST. I witnessed so many times others measuring London based on those races but her parents and she never let them influence their perspective and their goals.She was always a total team player.

About a few meets before our SO Cal Association Meet we saw London start to surge” Stealth Alexander”   was on her way up the ladder of the 800m girls dropping her times week in  and week out from 2-4 secs or more per week.

By the Association meet she began to show the tenacity she is known for really come out .We saw her find her way into races she wasn’t “expected” by many to be in. This continued all the way to the regionals  landing her in the top 5 and on to the the biggest meet London had ever participated in for USATF .

Fast forward her first qualifying  found her second in her heat and 10th overall. we were thrilled and believed she could get in to the finals and we looked forward to the next round

Preliminaries

  1 Brown, Janiah             01 15-Valley United TC    2:22.67Q  4

  2 Gomez, Ashley             00 15-Arcadia D           2:24.63Q  3

  3 Turner, Lauren            00 03-Fayettevi           2:26.43Q  2

  4 Hathaway, Paige           00 03-Durham St           2:26.85Q  1

  5 Allen, Carmella           00 15-Las Vegas           2:27.62Q  8

  6 Powell, Jasmine           00 14-Castro Valley TC    2:27.79Q  5

  7 Wallace, Kendal           01 14-3m TC               2:28.81Q  7

  8 Ibarra, Kalea             00 15-Unattached          2:30.36Q  6

  9 Thornton-Fillyaw, Tamryn  01 16-Glenarden TC        2:25.24Q  3

 10 Alexander, London         00 15-Quiet Fire TC       2:27.40Q  1

 11 Young-Bey, Nyjah          00 02-Elite Runners TC    2:27.71Q  8

 12 McNeil, Nyjari            00 16-Baltimore           2:27.88Q  5

 13 Brookshire, Alexis        01 05-The Flying Js TC    2:28.97Q  4

 14 Stokes, Ayreonna          00 16-Randallstown TC     2:28.98Q  7

 15 Gragg, Arianna            00 14-Diablo Va           2:30.96Q  2

 16 Dade, Shaheeda            00 07-Illinois            2:31.18Q  6

 17 Nkadi, Ava                00 14-Buffalo C           2:30.08q  1

 18 Henderson, Lauren         00 03-The Storm TC        2:30.61q  5

 19 Bedgood, Jenelle          00 05-Swift TC            2:31.80q  8

 20 Chapman, Timara           00 03-Hurdles First TC    2:32.68q  7

 21 Wallace, Arianna          00 02-Morris Estate       2:33.03q  7

 22 Saidman, Angela           01 01-Unattached          2:33.28q  1

 23 Brooks, Paige             00 06-Spar TC             2:33.70q  3

 24 Dix, Victoria             01 14-North Sac           2:33.72q  4

The second round promised to be good one but we were certain London could get in,we didn’t know what place but sure she could be a top 8 finisher and guarantee a podium appearance.

Once again she didn’t disappoint. She fought her way to a 6th place over all finish and the only thin that was left was to finish her final race of the season and take home her medal. A true Champion no matter what place she earned

Semi-Finals
  1 Allen, Carmella           00 15-Las Vegas           2:22.74Q
  2 Turner, Lauren            00 03-Fayettevi           2:23.57Q
  3 Brookshire, Alexis        01 05-The Flying Js TC    2:23.65Q
  4 Young-Bey, Nyjah          00 02-Elite Runners TC    2:24.04Q
  5 Thornton-Fillyaw, Tamryn  01 16-Glenarden TC        2:24.34Q
  6 Alexander, London 00 15-Quiet Fire TC 2:25.01Q
  7 Gomez, Ashley             00 15-Arcadia D           2:25.48q
  8 McNeil, Nyjari            00 16-Baltimore           2:26.46q

800m Finals Day

We were full of anticipation and hope as we waited for the 800m races to begin.A really hot day I retreated to the cafeteria area for a while and then about the time her race would begin we step out of the moderate coolness and  into the heat to see the beginning of her race. It was amazing London gets to the last 50 meters with a chance at first and looking great she finishes  2nd overall.

London We Are So Proud Of You!! CONGRATULATIONS

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