THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 24, 1995 TAG: 9505240626
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: Athletes of the Week
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
It's just a matter of time.
The unbeaten streak she has registered against Southeastern District competition this year in the 300-meter hurdles isn't the way Jenita Harris measures her progress.
And it won't be whether or not she wins that event in the Eastern Region meet this week.
Her race is against the stop watch.
``My only concern is bringing down my time,'' said the 16-year-old Wilson High School junior who was named The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star female athlete of the week for her victory in the 300-meter hurdles in the Southeastern District meet at Churchland. She reeled off a 46.71 Accutrak clocking.
Harris is the latest in a line of outstanding hurdlers produced by Wilson coach John Crute and hurdling specialist Richard Drake.
Maria Moore, Lisa Wells and LaTasha Colander went on to become region and state champions. Lisa Harding, Nisha Manley and Venita McNair won region titles.
Harris, a 5-foot-5, 97-pounder, already has won two Southeastern championships in the 300-meter hurdles. She's also the 55-meter hurdle indoor champ.
A year ago she was third in the region at 300 meters. She hopes to improve that but victory isn't her immediate goal. ``Getting my time down to the 45s (seconds) is what I want,'' she said.
``She just needs to work on her speed,'' Drake said. ``She is an excellent hurdler. And I'm expecting her to get into the 45s in the region meet. The funny thing is that every time she runs it seems like she is going into gale-force winds.''
Harris' mother attends all of her daughter's meets and is an ex-champion herself. She's the former Avis Johnson, who won the Southeastern District championship in the 440-yard dash while running for Manor in 1973. In 1974 she was chosen as the most valuable player on the Manor squad.
Jenita has run the 400-meter dash (third in the Peninsula Relays), the current equivalent of the old 440-yard dash.
``Her time would have won the district meet in the 400,'' Crute said.
But Harris prefers the hurdles.
``There are sprinters who hurdle and there are hurdlers who sprint,'' Drake said. ``Jenita is a hurdler who hurdles.''
Harris' mother is hoping her daughter elects to attend college near home so she can continue to watch her compete. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Jenita Harris
by CNB