When many sports fans think of track & field, they envision Tim Montgomery and imagine BALCO – high-salaried athletes taking high-powered steroids. But yesterday’s USATF National Club Championships at Randalls Island is a grassroots meet as much about teamwork as individual talent.
Few of these athletes competed in the U.S. championships three weeks ago, and fewer still will run the Worlds in Helsinki three weeks from now. But teams like Shore AC and performers like NYAC’s Tim Seaman and New York Elite’s Kenneth Baxter provided plenty of highlights.
The 5-10, 140-pound Baxter, who swept the 100 meters (meet-record 10.41 seconds) and 200 (20.83) is the ultimate underdog, and not just because of his size. Raised on 107th & Fifth Ave, he attended the Academy of Environmental Science, a tiny school that didn’t even field a team. But he made his name for the Harlem Striders, and later Bronx Express.
He finished third at the National Scholastic Indoor meet – running unattached – to earn a scholarship to Jacksonville. When the school dropped track, he transferred to Purdue, where he ran second in the NCAA 200 last winter in 20.57 and a 10.30 100 this spring.
“It’s been an interesting journey. I definitely went a different route than a lot of other people,” said Baxter, who’ll graduate next month and step into a job as an air-traffic controller.
U.S. recordholder Seaman turned in a 20:34.13 racewalk (5,000) to destroy the meet record by over four minutes. Despite eight straight indoor crowns, he still works 5-6 hours a day while running 10 miles a day.
“This is the epitome of amateurism. There’s no money here; I don’t think there’s very much glory. You do it because you want to help your club,” said Seaman, who has won 24 of his 25 combined U.S. titles since joining NYAC in 1997.
“We sacrifice a lot. Don’t think track is all about big bucks and drugs – it’s not. It’s a lot of hard work and a lot of poor athletes struggling, fighting,” he said.
Shore AC got wins from Vincenzo Insingo (52.31 meters in the discus), Okoineme Giwa-Agbomeirele (25-6 long jump), and Aaron Braxton (50-5½ shot), while Kim Marino’s 3.80 meters took the women’s vault.
NY Elite also saw Michael (50.72) and Nicholas Brown (50.84) go 1-2 in the 400 hurdles, the 4×800 win in 7:35.42, and Antoinette Wilks sweep the women’s 100 hurdles (meet-record 13.15) and 200 (23.90).
Lemans Track Club’s Nolle Graham – of Taft H.S. and Seton Hall – _ won the 100 in 11.66, the long jump in (6.21 meters) and anchored a come-from-behind 4×100 win, while Natalia Brown won the discus with a 138-11.
