Valley Sprinter Chasing a Pair of State Titles

Nikywa Prevost, a freshman sprinter at Valley College, is the top qualifier among Valley-area athletes competing in the junior college state track and field championships beginning today at Fresno City College.

Prevost, a graduate of San Fernando High, qualified in the women’s 100- and 200-meter sprints with times of 11.8 and 24.4 seconds, respectively. Her main competition is expected to come from LaShawn Simmons of Mt. San Antonio and Cecilia Thomas of El Camino.

“Nikywa is the best, if not close to it, that we’ve had here,” Valley Coach James Harvey said. “And she may be better as a quarter-miler than in the 100 and 200.”

The Valley 400-meter relay team of Chris Rawlings, David Salas, Lionel Hemmons and Devon Beasley, which placed fifth in the Southern California finals with a time of 41.47, also qualified.

Glendale will be represented by six athletes, including Karen Myers, who qualified second in both the discus (131 feet, 1 inch) and the javelin (128-10).

Other Glendale entries include Marji Gilles in the triple jump (30-7 3/4) and Linda Benioff in the shotput (40-7 1/2).

Glendale entrants in the men’s competition include Marty Beck in the 400 hurdles (52.82), John Szekely in the shotput (49-5) and Steve Barnett in the javelin (203-8).

Moorpark’s Colleen Gavin will compete in the 400 (57.57) and Anna Howald will run in the 1,500 (4:54.45). Howald and Gavin also will run in the 1,600 relay with Lisa Noller and Vicky Wagenbach.

Moorpark’s Korey Fleck will compete in the men’s javelin, in which he has a mark of 186-10.