By DWANE WILDER
Corey Carrington is beginning to like this hurdles gig.
Last spring, the Campbell County High track and field standout came out of nowhere to win the 300 meter race at the Section 1-AAA Track and Field Championships.
There was no sneak attack this year.
The three-time East Tennessee decathlon champion apparently has a new favorite event after repeating as sectional champion in the 300 and finishing second in the 110 meter race at Friday’s sectional meet at Liberty Bell Track in Johnson City.
“For the caliber of athletes we competed against, I thought we did very well in the team standings,” said Carrington, a senior who led the Cougars to fifth place in the team standings, their best finish ever.
“I was pleased with both my hurdles races.”
Carrington has only been beaten once this year in the 300 and that was at the Vol Classic, one of the most prestigious meets in the Southeast. At sectionals, he dueled with Morristown East hurdler Bryan Taveras in both races.
Carrington was narrowly beaten by Taveras in the 110 event, but finished over two seconds behind his chief rival in the 300.
The 40.07 seconds Carrington ran last week was his second-best time ever in the 300. His personal record is 39.96 seconds, which he set earlier this year. Carrington also qualifed for state with the third-best sectional finish in triple jump, what was considered his signature event until he began running the hurdles.
The top four performers in each event advance to competed in next week’s state meet at Murfreesboro
“I thought he did a great job,” said his position coach Greg Vincent.
“He was probably at the top of his game in everything except discus. He had 129-foot throw, which was good but not great.”
Carrington’s poor showing in discus can be traced back to a mishap at the Metro 8 Championships a couple of weeks ago. After falling over a hurdle, he managed to get back on his feet and finish seventh in a field of eight runners.
“I landed on my right shoulder, and I think that has affected my discus throws,” said Carrington, who also turned his ankle while competing in triple jump at sectionals.
He will begin his quest for a state championship May 19-20 in the Class AAA decathlon. Later in the week, he will compete in the hurdles and triple jump at the Class AAA state meet.
“This year I’ve had a lot of practice but not much competition in the 300,” said Carrington.
“When I go down there I’ll have to go up against some good runners. I think I can drop a second (off my best time) Both of the guys that beat me last year are back. It’s just going to be whoever runs a good race.”
Young qualifies
High jumper Justin Young, a junior, was Campbell County’s other state qualifier. He finished third at sectionals behind Jonathan Kilgore of Morristown West and Tyler Stepp of Jefferson County.
