Boykin Wins--This Time With Grace

When Shelton Boykin of San Fernando High won the the 110-meter high hurdles and the 300-meter intermediate hurdles at the Mid-Valley League track championships last year, he was a brash and cocky junior. At Thursday’s league finals at Birmingham High, Boykin accomplished the same feat but it was a soft-spoken and almost reserved senior who spoke afterward.

“I accomplished what I wanted to,” Boykin said after winning the high hurdles in 14.2 seconds and the intermediates in a personal best of 39.0. “I wanted to concentrate on my starts and I got good ones in both races.”

Those comments are a far cry from the Boykin who annoyed coaches and athletes alike last season with his arrogance.

A rise in Boykin’s confidence since then has led to a subsidence in his arrogance.

“I have more confidence in myself this season,” Boykin said. “Last year I didn’t have that much confidence in myself and I felt like I had to intimidate the other hurdlers because I wasn’t established.

“This year I feel I’ve earned their respect and I don’t need to do all the talking.”

I’ll let my hurdling speak for me.”

His hurdling spoke well Thursday as Boykin established Mid-Valley League-meet records in both races.

Boykin’s teammate, David Sals, had waited a year for Thursday’s meet. Last year Sals had been favored in the 100 and 200 meters but placed second behind Kennedy’s Boris Gurarie, who since has graduated.

“I beat him in the dual meet last year but he won the meet that counted,” Sals said. “I didn’t want that to happen again.”

It didn’t.

Sals won the 100 (11.0) and 200 (22.2) despite running into a head wind.

The wind didn’t seem to bother Kennedy’s Damon Garrett, however, who won the 400 with a personal best of 49.1. Garrett also anchored the 1,600 relay team to a 3:25.9 victory.

Sven Haug of Birmingham won the 1,600 meters with a 4:19.6 clocking and Ian Alsen of Granada Hills won the 3,200 meters (9:25.2) after dropping out of the 1,600 with back cramps.

Nikawa Prevost of San Fernando and Sheri Lawson of Kennedy turned in the top performances in the girls meet. Prevost won the 100 (12.5), the 200 (26.7) and ran the anchor leg on San Fernando’s 400-meter relay team, which clocked a Valley-area season best of 49.1.

Lawson won the 1,600 meters (5:14.0) and the 3,200 meters (12:23.7) but was disqualified in a controversial decision for wearing a ring.