As the Atlanta Track Club Elite's track season concluded a moment is due to reflect on such a positive and successful season. The Elite team faced many challenges this season. Some of the largest challenges that impacted personal performances were Covid-19 and personal injuries. However, the team responded with grit, determination, and perseverance which led to several highlights throughout the season.
Atlanta Track Club welcomed several newcomers to the elite team this year. They immediately made an impact and showed promise for the seasons to come. The team has been pushing limits to earn impressive results. Athletes participating in events from the 60m to the marathon have improved as the season progressed.
New Athletes
Ryan Adams |
3:37.66 /1500m |
|---|---|
Olivia Baker |
2:00.08 /800m |
Samson Colebrook |
10.01 /100m |
Sadi Henderson |
1:58.62/800m |
Daniel Nixon |
1:45.56 /800m |
Shane Streich |
1:45.85 /800m |
Akeem Sirleaf |
10.19 /100m |
Indoor Season
The 2022 year kicked off with the indoor track, this was the e first time the Elites took to an indoor track since the 2020 indoor season. The team competed in five indoor track meets leading up to the Indoor Championships at the end of February.
The team opened up in Nashville at the Vanderbilt Invitational. The first meet showed promise in the 800m producing a women's sweep in the 800m going 1-3, and Olivia Baker winning with a facility record and indoor personal best (2:01.52). Also, in the men's 800m four of the top 5 finishers were wearing an Atlanta Track Club singlet.
In Boston, Sadi Henderson and Gemma Finch took command of the 800m with a 1-2 finish. The race produced a PB for Henderson (2:01.7), and a lifetime best for Finch (2:02.6). Two hours away at the Armory, Shane Streich delivered two wins in the mile and established a new 800m indoor PB of 1:46.07. The same weekend In South Carolina, short sprinters Samson Colebrooke (6.75) and Akeem Sirleaf (6.76) set a new season best in the 60m.
In Louisville Streich set a new American Record (2:16.16) in the men's 1000m. Abraham Alvarado set a new PB in the same distance finishing 3rd in that record race. Baker won the women's 800m and Daniel Nixon set a SB in the men's 800m.
PC: @Kevmofoto
Indoor Nationals
Atlanta Track club had 7 athletes that competed at their respective country's Indoor National Championship in hopes to qualify for the World Indoor Championships. In Spokane, Washington, for USA's Abe Alvarado, Daniel Nixon, Shane Streich, Olivia Baker, and Sadi Henderson competed in the 800m. Baker, Henderson, and Streich advanced to the finals. Streich won a bronze medal missing the world team by one spot. In the finals, Baker ran home a silver medal in the 800m which got her a spot on Team USA for the 22' Indoor World Champs. Baker banked on her momentum going into the meet and it was only a matter of keeping composed and executing on the given day and she did just that.
Indoor World Championships
At the world championships in Belgrade, Baker finished 6th in the prelims. When asked about her experience Baker said "I loved the atmosphere. This was my first time competing indoors in a nearly full arena setting and the energy in there was incredible."
In Birmingham for the British Championships, Gemma Finch ran in her first indoor champs. Finch qualified for the finals in the 800m and in a tactical final, she placed 5th. In Växjö for the Swedish Championships Yolanda Ngarambe brought home a National Title in the 1500m and also a silver medal in the 3000m.
PC: @imaginestudioab
Outdoor Season
As the events moved outside, the Elite team began the season right here in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Spring Track meet, where Samson Colebrooke ran a SB (10.01) qualifying him for the World Outdoor Championships. The next weekend in Boston Emma Grace Hurley set a PB (15:49) and team record in the road 5K. At the Boston Marathon, Maegan Krifchin ran the second fastest (2:31:53) marathon of her career.
At the USATF Road Mile Championships Streich earned a bronze medal and Allie Wilson finished 4th. Battling tough conditions Wilson doubled back to win the women's 800m later that week. The first week of May the elites traveled to California where Wilson established a world lead, world standard, and PB at the time in the women's 800m. The following day Sadi Henderson got her first win of the season in the women's 800m.
In Brooklyn marathoner, Bridget Belyeu finished 2nd (1:13.41) in the Brooklyn Half Marathon.
The first international trip for a few elites was a week before nationals in Canada. Nixon and Streich raced internationally for the first time in their careers. Streich set a SB (3:42.87) in the men's 1500m Ngarambe took the win in the women's 1500m beating three Olympians en route to her first 1500m victory of the season. Two days later she won the women's 800m.
PC: @achillesphotog
Outdoor Nationals
Atlanta Track Club sent three ladies (Baker, Henderson, and Wilson) and two men (Nixon and Streich) to Eugene, all of whom qualified and competed in the 800m. Baker and Wilson toed the line together in the semi-finals, where Baker dipped under the 1:59 barrier for the first time in her career. Baker and Wilson both advanced to the finals. Baker finished 5th (1:58.65) and Wilson finished 4th (1:58.35) just outside the spots to make the US world team.
Gemma Finch represented the Elites at The Müller UK Athletics Championships where she had the fastest prelim time, advancing her to the finals where she finished 6th. In Port-of-Spain, sprinter Akeem Sirleaf was a part of Liberia's 4x100m team that ran 38.76, for a new Liberian National Record. This qualified them for the World Championships coming up in Eugene, Oregon.
At the Swedish National Championships, Yolanda Ngarambe ran home a silver medal in the 1500m with a time of 4:16.52. Ngarambe was selected to run the 1500m at the upcoming European Championships in Germany. At her first European Championships, she missed making the 1500m final with one spot but ran a SB (4:05.68) in the prelims.
Post-Season
The Elite team continued to push their limits to earn impressive results. At the sunset tour, Olivia Baker led a wire-to-wire victory in the 800m (1:59.57), which marked her fifth sub-2-minute run this outdoor season, having previously never broken 2 minutes over 800m. Wilson stepped up in distance to the mile where she finished 2nd but ran for a 10-second PB(4:26.04) and Team Record. The next week Baker stepped up in distance to the 1500m to establish a new SB and PB (4:11.51).
In Memphis, Tennessee, Wilson went back up in distance to the women's 1500m finishing 3rd with a new SB and PB (4:04.02). Streich set a new SB (1:47.25) a few hours later in the men's 800m. Baker finished 2nd (1:59.4) in the women's 800m, breaking the two-minute barrier for the sixth time that outdoor season. Sirleaf got in the blocks for the men's 200m finishing 4th (20.66), producing his third fastest time in the distance for the outdoor season
In the last week of July, Allie Wilson and Sadi Henderson participated in the Fleet Feet Liberty Road Mile in Downtown Pittsburgh. Wilson finished 4th (4:31), and Henderson finished 7th (4:40). Henderson's 7th place finish was a one-second PB, and Wilson's 4th place finish established a new road mile PB and road mile team record.
In the first week of August, Allie Wilson competed in her first race ever on international soil at the Silesia Diamond League. In a loaded field, Wilson finished 5th (1:59.35) leading to her 4th sub-2 minute 800m of the outdoor season. The next day Shane Streich set a PB (4:01) for the road mile at The Brooklyn Mile in New York.
World Championships
Yolanda Ngarambe got things started for the Elites in Eugene in the women's 1500m where she finished in 8th (4:09.15), missing the automatic qualifier to advance to the semi-finals by two spots. On day two of the Championships, Samson Colebrooke competed in the opening heats of the men's 100m. The 2021 Bahamas 100m National Champion ran 10.23 for a 5th place finish, missing the automatic qualifier to advance to the semi-finals by two spots.
NACAC Championships
Allie Wilson represented the USA at the NACAC Championships in Freeport, Grand Bahama. In a race with eight countries represented, Wilson shot straight to the front and nearly gapped the field by a full second, and fought to the finish where she was outleaned by the defending world indoor champion, and the winner was decided by .01 seconds. Wilson's 2nd place finish of (1:58.48), marked her fifth sub-2 minute 800m of the outdoor season.
Post-Season Continued
Olivia Baker made her diamond league debut at Monaco in the women's 800m finishing 3rd (1:58.05), posting the then 10th fastest 800m in the world. "All I can say is that I am blessed and grateful for the experience," Baker said after her 7th sub 2-minute 800m this outdoor season and her 5th consecutive 800m race of 1:59.5 or faster. Wilson and Baker competed at the Palio Citta' Della Quercia, a part of the World Athletics Continental Silver Tour. In the women's 800m Wilson finished 1st (1:58.53), and Baker finished 2nd (1:58.83).
Yolanda Ngarambe raced in the women's 1500m at Finnkampen an annual international athletics event contested between Sweden and Finland. Ngarambe led the entire race through the last lap and came through the finish line in 3rd (4:15.89) completing a Swedish sweep.
At Stadio Colbachini, Padova, Wilson charged hard down the homestretch to take the lead from the fourth place 800m finisher at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to win the race in 1:58.37. Baker ended her season winning the women's 800m at the Zagreb meet.
PC: @athleticamentefoto
A New Era Ahead
With the same team returning next year and the addition of some new athletes, including European U23 Bronze Medalist Hannah Segrave, Two-Time All-American Presley Weems (Auburn University), and the second fastest American male 1500m runner in 2022 (3:33.81), Jonathan Davis (University of Illinois). It is unsure the exact times next season will bring, but what is for sure certain is that the future is bright and the Elite team will produce faster times, many smiles, and records, all while having fun in the process.
PC: @Growlbros
