THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 9, 1995 TAG: 9504090181
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ED MILLER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 41 lines
By her own high standards, Salem's Sherlane Armstrong didn't have a great day Saturday at the Norfolk State University Relays.
By anyone else's, Armstrong was exceptional, winning two events and sharing in two other first-place finishes, on Salem's 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams.
Armstrong's day began with a win in the long jump, at 17 feet, one-half inch. She followed that by anchoring Salem's winning 4x100 relay team, then won the triple jump with a leap of 37-9 1/4. She finished by running a leg on the Sun Devils' 4x400 relay.
Armstrong's triple jump was three feet farther than her nearest competitor, but far short of her best of 39-5, and of the 39-0 she jumped last month to take second at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships in Syracuse, N.Y.
``The wind was blowing; it was pushing me back,'' she said.
But not far enough for the rest of the field to catch her. It's been that way for the last two years for Armstrong, who was second at the Group AAA meet last year.
``Her competition doesn't come until she gets to the state or the national level,'' Salem coach Shrecee Purham said.
Armstrong also stays sharp by competing with herself. Her goal: 40 feet.
``I'm praying for a 40-foot jump,'' she said. ``I'm claiming it.''
Armstrong wasn't the only double-event winner in the high school competition Saturday. First Colonial's Jamie Kollar won the discus, with a toss of 119- 1/2, and the shot put, with a throw of 35 feet.
Like Armstrong, Kollar was not at her best, but was still better than the competition.
``On Thursday I threw 131 (in the discus) and 37 (in the shot),'' she said. ``Today was kind of like a chill day, I guess.
``It's spring break.'' by CNB