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Columbus Ohio March 13-14, 1999

Nike Indoor Classic Previews

Virginia State Meet previews Columbus

Mike Newell 24-6, Yolanda Thompson 19-8, Rickey Harris 7.16

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Sent: Saturday, March 06, 1999 3:52 PM
To: [email protected]

All year long, Mike Newell has been waiting for his talent in the long jump to show up. Yesterday it arrived as Newell took over the USL with a leap of 24-6 in winning the Virginia State championship. “I can’t wait to get out to the Nike meet,” he exulted, “I think I can go a lot farther.”

Newell appears to be peaking at just the right time. His long-awaited rematch with the nation’s hottest sprinter, Kentucky’s Casey Combest could produce a new HSR. Nike Talent Coordinator AJ Holzherr said, “It’s the kind of race people dream about. The top best kids in the country facing off. One comes out with the win, the ring and the right to say ‘I’m the fastest kid in the United States’, that’s what we’ll have in
Columbus.”

Yolanda Thompson, #3-US, solidified her standing by tying the state record with a jump of 19-8.

Perhaps the best performance of the prelims came from junior Ricky Harris. Harris sped to a new state record with his brilliant 7.16 effort. This replaces the 7.19 by Ronde Barber in 1993. (Barber currently stars for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.)
However, Harris great run left him a mere .01 from the top US mark of 1999. Colorado’s Ricardo Moody has equaled Harris ‘7.16 last year.

This is another in a series of great matchups one will find at the Nike Indoor Classic. Unfortunately, a local Texas rule will prevent a match with Jerome Cooper, the USL over both the 55mH (7.15) and the 60mH (7.72.) Cooper earlier expressed the thought that he’d like to be In Columbus but he’d have to wait to show the nation who’s the best and that race will be in Raleigh at the Foot Locker National Scholastics in June.

Stay tuned. It’ll get better.