CHS' Perkins gains national track berth

DENVER — Clovis High senior-to-be Kim Perkins has qualified for the national Junior Olympics track and field meet in the 400 hurdles in the 17-18 age division, winning the event on Sunday in the USA track and field Region X championship in a time of 1:05.58.

Region X takes in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado and Nevada. Perkins, representing the New Mexico Stars, qualifield for the nationals in the same event last year but was unable to go because of financial issues, coach Derico Cooper said.

The top eight finishers in Saturday’s prelims advanced to Sunday’s finals. The top three in each event on Sunday qualified for the national meet, scheduled for July 26-31 at Indianapolis.

Perkins, who finished fifth in the 200 in 25.93, was the only Stars athlete to qualify for the meet, although Cooper said several athletes set or came close to personal bests.

In Sunday’s finals, Deon Clere was fourth in the 200 in 23.88 and eighth in the 100 in 12.09 in the 13-14 girls division; Brandon Williams was sixth in both the 200 (24.92) and 400 (56.58) in the 13-14 boys division; Phillip Williams placed fifth in the 100 in 11.15 and Damien Robinson was fourth in the 110 hurdles in 14.86 in boys 17-18 competition, and John Dawson was fifth in the 100 (13.99) and fourth in the 200 (28.55) in the boys 9-10 division.

Williams made the finals in the 200 with a time of 22.50 on Saturday, but did not run in the finals because of a hamstring injury, Cooper said. He added that Robinson was seventh in the 200 prelims on Saturday but pulled out of the finals after clipping a hurdle and injuring his groin in Sunday’s 110 hurdles final.

In Saturday’s prelims, Tara Dewitt was ninth in the 13-14 girls 200 in 27.84, while Bianca Hampton placed 13th in the 15-16 girls 400 in 1:09.63.