Scarborough's Jayden Flaker will compete in the 55m hurdles & 300m this weekend
With the competitive track and field season shut down in Maine this winter due to COVID-19, several Maine high school track and field athletes have been searching for meets out of state to compete. This weekend five athletes two from Thornton Academy and three from Scarborough will travel to Virginia to compete in the VA Showcase meet.
Thornton Academy senior Kylie Bedard is entered in the 300m and 500m events, Bedard is the state record holder in the 500m and will have a shot to lower her time on one of the fastest track in the country. Bedard's teammate Mia-Claire Kezal is slated to run in the 1000m and 1600m this weekend. Kezal earned All-New England honors in the 1000m and was the Class A runner-up at 800m.
Bedard is just looking for an opportunity to compete, "With COVID canceling outdoor last year and potentially indoor this year, I want to take every opportunity I can get to compete. The VA showcase is a perfect opportunity to compete in a world-class facility with very good competition and to improve my times in the 300 and the 500!"
On the boy's side, 2020 Class A 55m hurdle champion Jayden Flaker of Scarborough will compete in his specialty event the 55m hurdles as well as the 300m. His teammate Zach Barry will compete in the 1600m race where he is one of the top seeds. Barry broke the sophomore state record at 800m last winter. Another Red Storm athlete Nick Connolly will compete in the invitational shot put, he finished seventh in the Class A shot put last winter.
All the action from the VA Showcase will be available to watch on MileSplit via the link below.
WATCH HERE
Time Schedule
Saturday
7:30am: Girls 1600m Run 9:30am: Boys 1600m Run 1:00pm: Boys 55m Hurdle Prelims 3:30pm: Boys Invitational Shot Put 7:00pm: Girls 300m Dash 9:00pm: Boys 300m Dash
Sunday
5:30pm: Girls 1000m Run 7:30pm: Girls 500m Dash