Denver East Sophomore Arria Minor Felt Bold At Great Southwest Indoor Classic


Arria Minor arrived in Albuquerque feeling powerful.

It didn't matter that the Denver East (Co.) sophomore felt a little nervous, too, this being her first out-of-town meet of the indoor season.

That hairstyle -- two tiny buns above her forehead, sort of like cat ears -- said everything you needed to know about Minor at the Great Southwest High School Indoor Classic on Saturday at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

"I was feeling pretty bold," Minor said, "so I had to wear it out today."

Minor, the owner of two US #1 times in the 60m and 200m before the meet, performed at least up to her sturdy expectations, going 7.50 seconds in the 60m and 24.02 seconds in the 200m.

While she didn't best her previous PRs, her times were good enough to position herself in the top 10 nationally in each event -- in fact, in the 200m, she ran the second fastest time in the nation … the other being her 23.85 back t the Martin Luther King Mile High Classic in January.

"I was nervous, but I was glad I got out," Minor said.

Minor began with a quick 60m time to begin, flying out of the blocks for the fourth fastest time of her career.

"I wouldn't say it's my best race," she said. "It's really technical and I don't really like that. But I'm getting better at it."

By Sunday, three sprinters at the Dunamis Sports Group Prep Classic in Frisco, Texas, had jumped ahead of Minor's previous US #1 time. 

More to the point, Minor was looking ahead to the 200m, where she could try her hand at the much-ballyhooed banked track for the University of New Mexico.

"I was looking forward to running on it," she said.

She did so, however, late at night, and the feeling was unfamiliar. The start time was unlike most track and field meets she's ever been to.

"It was mind over matter today," she said.

But she overcame a small trip-up to burst from the stagger and flied into the finish.

"I knew the bank would help me going up," she said.

Minor returns to indoors on Feb. 16-18 at the Simplot Games in Pocatello, Idaho.

It's there, she said, where she's going to go after PRs.

"I'll just try to run as fast as I can," she said.