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American Patriots Track Star Cooper Continues To Impress

Sharon BlockSFHSSports: Twitter | Facebook

Hialeah American rising sophomore Tyrese Cooper of Miami Gardens Xpress stole the show at the July 7-16 AAU National Club Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Kissimmee.

Cooper broke five meet records and his own national freshman record over six days in the 15-16 age group. The speedster broke the 100 record twice, 400 twice and 200 once.

Cooper broke his own 200-meter national record in prelims in 20.66, 2/100ths faster than his previous national record of 20.68 set at Miami's Louie Bing Classic in February.

Cooper broke his own meet record he broke earlier in the week in the 100-meter dash. He outsprinted American Heritage rising junior Anthony Schwartz of T.E.O.N Elite Track Club to win in 10.46. Schwartz finished second in 10.59. In prelims, Cooper ran 10.63 and Schwartz ran 10.73.

In the 400, Cooper ran his third career sub-46 and second-fastest career time in 45.86. In prelims, he broke the 15-16 AAU club national 400 record in 45.83.

After also competing in the 100 and 400, he finished the meet with a gold medal in the 200 in 20.69, the second fastest time in his young career. Schwartz was second in 21.22.

Cooper anchored the winning 4x400-meter relay that won in 3:14.83 with Miami Xpress teammates Jamir Ferguson, Justin Long and Tyquan Thorton. Miami Gardens Xpress finished runner-up among teams with 69 points in the 15-16 competition.

Jamal Walton of Everglades and T.E.O.N Elite Track Club was second in the 400 in 46.08. Walton is preparing for the upcoming IAA World Under-20 Championships in Poland. Damion Thomas of Northeast and St. Thomas Aquinas alum Khalifa St. Fort will also compete at worlds.

DAVIS-WHITE HEADED TO RIO

Boyd Anderson alum Kali Davis-White, 20, has been added to the Jamaica track and field national team roster for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Davis-White finished third in the 200-meters in 22.94 at the Jamaican Olympic Trials and will compete individually and on relays. She was officially named to the team when another athlete withdrew with a hamstring injury.

At this past weekend's North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) Under-23 Championships in El Salvador, Davis-White won a gold medal in the 200 meters in a wind-aided 22.66. Miami Jackson alum Robin Reynolds of Team USA was third in 23.40.

Also at NACAC, Dillard alum Shakima Wimbley of the University of Miami, a member of Team USA, anchored the winning 4x400-meter relay that won in 3:28.45. She was sixth in the 400 meters in 54.71 after cramping up late in the race.

UM teammate Ebony Morrison, a Miami Killian alum, also won a gold medal running anchor on the 4x100-meter relay that set a meet record in 42.93. She was fifth in the 100-meter hurdles in 13.32, after going 13.16 in prelims.

PRESSLEY AWARDED GRANT

Coconut Creek alum Maya Pressley was awarded a Travel and Training grant from the Women's Sports Foundation. Pressley, a world-class high jumper, is one of 30 individual athletes in various sports awarded grants to enable them to continue training and competing. The grants, ranging from $2,500 to $10,000, address the lack of funding for women in sports.

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