THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 23, 1995 TAG: 9504230162
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
After running and jumping for two long days, and with the meet team title well in hand, the last thing the leg-weary members of Norfolk State's 4x400 relay team wanted to do Saturday afternoon was run the relay.
``They tried their best to talk me out of running that race,'' women's coach LaVerne Sweat said.
To no avail. Sweat insisted, and the Spartanettes got ready to run.
``I was like, whatever, let's give it one last shot,'' Norfolk State's Chandra Sturrup said.
It was a dramatic last shot. Sturrup, running the third leg, got Norfolk State a lead and anchor Ruchelle Thomas took the baton home to give the Spartanettes one final, meet-capping victory at the CIAA championship Saturday.
The relay gave the Spartanettes 187 points, 81 more than second-place Hampton University.
``It was good to win (the CIAA title) on our home track,'' Sturrup said. ``But we came into the meet knowing we were going to win.''
The only question was by how much. Sturrup, a senior All-American, did her part by contributing 30 points - with victories in the 100, 200 and long jump - and running legs on the winning 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams.
Sturrup won the 100 by half a second (11.35) and the 200 by nearly a second (23.14). Her 22-foot, 3 3/4-inch long jump Friday would have placed her fifth in the men's competition.
The Spartanettes also got a beyond-the-call performance from junior Karen Sinclair, who won the 800, took third in the 1,500 and the 400 hurdles and ran on both relay teams.
``An awful day,'' Sinclair said, tongue-in-cheek. ``Too much running. It's points. She (Sweat) wants points.''
She got them, all over the place. Angela Villman grabbed 16 by taking second in the triple jump after taking second in the long jump Friday. Chantilla Becton picked up 10 by winning the discus and DaShontia Atkinson added ninth with a second-place finish in the discus and a sixth in the javelin.
Thomas won the 400 meters then came back to anchor the 4x400 relay. Sturrup gave her a 5-meter lead along with the baton, but then N.C. Central's Pathereka Miller began closing the gap.
``I felt her, but I paced myself the whole race,'' Thomas said. ``Then I brought it home.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
CHRISTOPHER REDDICK/STAFF
Norfolk State's Angela Villman leaps to second place in the triple
jump in the CIAA track meet, which the Spartanettes won with ease.
by CNB