The “whoa” from the Icahn Stadium crowd was loud enough to be heard from the nearby Triboro Bridge as Sheepshead Bay’s John Thomas crossed the finish line in the 200 meters.
“New world record,” he joked.
The stadium scoreboard mistakenly read 18.76. Jamaica’s Usain Bolt holds the world record time of 19.19 set in 2009. Thomas had to settle for a personal best mark of 21.24, also the second fastest in the state this season and a victory over an excellent field at the PSAL outdoor track and field championships Sunday. He was happy to hit the mark in his final PSAL meet though he was trying to top the school record time of 20.9.
“I felt it. I heard the footsteps behind me,” Thomas said. “I made up my mind that no one is going to beat me.”
Fountains wins three, can’t match pentathlon, 200 marks: Whitney Fountain would call the day a draw. The Columbus star was pleased with her 400 meter hurdles time and knows there is room for improvement, but wasn’t able to top her meet record in the 200 and state-best pentathlon mark.
“My 400 hurdles I had a few mistakes, but I still PR’d,” she said. “I’m proud of that. … I need to stop hesitating to the hurdle when I am going to be jumping over with my left leg.”
Fountain won the 400 hurdles in a time of 59.88, reaching her goal of running under a minute. In the 200 she placed first in 23.60 and ran 23.57 in the trials, well short of the 23.44 mark she posted last year. Her point total to win the pentathlon was 3,623, a new meet record, but her best is 3,783 from the Bronx borough championships.
“I really wasn’t feeling well going into the event,” Fountain said of the pentathlon. “I only ate breakfast that day.”
Tottenville’s Eikeseth pulls off another improbable finish: Dayna Eikeseth watched the field get out fast and her coach told her it will come back to her. Cardozo’s Alexis Panisse led for every leg, but the last. Eikeseth, who trailed by as much as 120 meters early, eventually passed Panisse around the final turn and won the 3000 meters in a time of 10:53.20. She made a similar comeback to pass the Judges sophomore for second place at the indoor city championships.
“I thought she was gone,” Eikeseth said. I had so much adrenaline in me. I wanted it so bad. … When I got next to her I was like, ‘I know I’m going to beat you.”
Saniford hurt, places second: Robeson’s O’Neil Saniford, the clear favorite in the high jump, was second with a leap of 6 feet 6 inches, while competing with a knee injury. Kemar Lewis of Wingate won with a mark of 6-08. Sandiford was seeded at 6-11.
