Field day at the 2019 AAU Indoor Nationals for Global Transitions Academy

Landover, Maryland

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     Global Transitions Academy left their mark at the 2019 AAU Indoor National championship in Landover, Maryland. The team capped off the meet Friday with a national and an all-american title in the triple jump. Kileah Hardy was in first place with her second jump of 32'3.75" but Yasmina Gall from Delaware Elite Track Club surpassed Kileah with a 32'4" jump to take

the lead heading into the finals. The places

remained stagnant throughout the finals up

until the last round. Shynice Haskins who

was sitting in last place put a nice jump

together to take the lead by a half inch

(32'4.50") to win her first national champion-

ship. To think it was Global Transitions

Academy girl's first time competing in this

event. 

 

     As surprising as day one was, day two turned out to be just as exciting as 4 of our 7 athletes competing in the 60 meter dash made it to the finals. Also, both of our 60 meter hurdle competitors, Shynice Haskins and Sheyenne Nichols, made to the finals recording personal best times. 

     Inside the track, the high jump got really serious as our two 11 year old boys battle it out for the top spot. Shawn Church Jr. started off at a lower height being that it was his first time competing in the event this season but that did not stop him from giving his teammate Donte Dent Jr. a healthy competition. Church Jr. faced some complications as the bar heightened to 4'4" but Dent Jr. soared over it as he did all season. Both athletes went on to clear 4'6" breaking the national record with Dent Jr placing first and Church Jr. taking second in the event to wrap up day two. 

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

     Jourdan Kearney was added to the list of Global Transitions Academy national champions Sunday morning when she popped a big jump in the finals of the long jump(7'1"). Jourdan was not finished there. Our youngest athlete hit the track to take 6th in the 60 meter dash and 8th in the 400 meter dash, earning All-American honors in her first year of track and field. Not long after Jourdan was awarded, her big brother Christian Kearney

took on similar feats. Sitting in 4th

place headed into the finals of the

long jump, tempers were rising as

the 60 meter dash finalist were 

moving to the starting line.

Christian was checked out of the

long jump to run his 60 meter

dash final placing 8th in the event.

He was not happy with the results

but Coach Woods tried his best to

redirect his focus to the long jump.

After fouling his first jump and an average second jump in the finals, Christian

returned to jump a personal best by 5 inches on his last jump to secure the silver medal. 

     Difficulties with the field events and running events interfering with one another continued as Anna Svetiev made it to the finals but had to go run the 400 meter dash between her fifth and sixth jump. Although she was winded, Anna had two valid attempts finishing in 3rd place to earn her first All-American honors in her first year. 

     Shawn Church Jr. had an eventful day even though he was disappointed with the outcome. To begin his day, Shawn became an All-American in the 60 meter dash running an indoor personal best in the event. Later, he went on to compete in the long jump where he also leaped to an indoor personal best jumping pass the meet record taking the silver medal. This was only Church Jr.'s 3rd meet this indoor season and we are very proud of the outcome. 

     Our only hurdlers showed up and showed out on day three. Both Sheyenne Nichols and Shinyce Haskins became All-Americans in the 60 meter hurdles at the AAU Indoor Nationals recording personal best times. First, Shinyce finished in 7th place running a clean race. This weekend was her first time completing the 3-step in the hurdles. Sheyenne was next up and she did not disappoint. She got out strong and finished just as strong taking home the 3rd place bronze medal. We are so proud of these two young ladies! 

     To wrap up the weekend, Micayah Holland takes  takes home the 15/16 60m dash National Championship with minimal effort sporting the Panama uniform donated by Olympian Yvette Lewis. Micayah represented to the fullest snatching her first national title weeks after securing her first state title with Norfolk Christian at the VISAA State Championships.

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