The 400 meters.
Anyone who has been around track and field for any length of time knows that it is one of the toughest events run by the toughest of athletes track and field has to offer. You can be that when you watch the open event, you will most likely see the same sprinter doing the same thing at the very end of a usually long day.
It's tough. And this week at the LSU High School Qualifier, we will witness almost of the best in Louisiana in the same race. Under the same rook. On the same day. We expect it to be special and that's why the 400m is this week's MileSplit LA Event To Watch.
Why are we fired up about the girls 400m?
The answer to question lies in the results from the LSU Indoor Classic when Barbe's Kennedi Burks and St. Louis High' Hannah Boullion went 1-2 when less than a second separating them. The unfortunate thing about this was that they were not in the same heat. That will not be the case on Saturday as both will be in heat No. 1.
Another unfortunate thing about the Classic is that Lake Charles College Prep's Jayla Mason was not entered in the 400m. She was at the meet and competed in the relays but did not run in her speciality. She will join Burks and Boullion on Saturday.
Big Deal or No Deal?
Is is a big deal that all three ladies are from Lake Charles? YES! Stand up, Calcasieu Parish! The thing about it is...Burks and Boullion-along with Mason-are not only the best in Louisiana...they are among the best in the nation, especially when you consider that Burks and Boullion are only juniors.
READ MORE: Lake Charles' Killer B's Start Start '24 Strong In Classic 400m!
Who are the long shots?
If John Curtis' London Parker was entered in the 800m at the LSU High School Qualifier, we would pick her to win against a talented field. There is no question about her abilities in that event, where she was one of four girls in the state to break 2:20 during the 2023 indoor season.
Scotlandville's Layden Jack ran 57.12 last year at the Region 2-5A Meet. She opened up her indoor season with an 800m at the FasTak Athletix Indoor Challenge. At the end of the year, she could be in the mix.
And the winner is...?
Flip a coin. Burks or Boullion with Mayson being right there with them. If Mason had the open 400m under her belt from the Classic, we would have her in the mix here. She will get there by there by the end of the indoor season.
What about the boys 400m?
Again, solid field. You have the Class 5A State outdoor defending champion in Scotlandville's Ferzell Shepard. And Barbe's Darryl Washington, who looked solid last week in winning the boys 55m at the McNeese Indoor No.1.
Washington is ranked No. 3 in the state.
Unfortunately, three of the top four ranked sprinters will not be competing in the 400m this weekend. John Curtis' King Taylor is No. 1 with a 48.23 . He will be competing, but will run in the 800m.
One more contender in Saturday's boys 400m is Edna Karr's Camren Hardy. Hardy finished the indoor season last year ranked No. 5 (49.38) and did not make the podium at the LHSAA State Indoor Meet. However, he did make the podium at the LHSAA State Outdoor Meet with a third place finish. He ended the seaoson best of 47.39 with a No. 4 end of season ranking. That's a lot of words and numbers to say that Hardy is trending up and you can expect everything he has got during his senior season--which starts Saturday with the LSU High School Qualifier.
There will be a couple serious sprinters we have to mention. Warren Easton's Germain Smith-Mata and Destrehan's Phillip Wright III. Smith-Mata got a 400m under his belt at the LSU Indoor Classic. This meet will be the first for Wright III.
We know that Smith-Mata and Wright III have speed. There is no question about that. What we will find out on Saturday is if they have speed endurance to pull off a win at the Qualifier. It would not shock us if they do.