Curtis Mitchell runs 19.99 to lead 200m qualifying at NACAC
Jul 10, 2010 | Track and Field
July 10, 2010
MIRAMAR, Florida - Texas A&M junior Curtis Mitchell became just the 25th American to break 20-seconds in the 200 meters when he blistered the field with a time of 19.99 seconds in the opening heat of the prelims during the North American, Central American, Caribbean Under-23 Championships on Saturday.
Later in the meet A&M's Jeneba Tarmoh and Mitchell each claimed a NACAC gold medal as part of victorious 4 x 100 relay efforts by the United States.
Tarmoh led of the women's sprint relay that clocked 43.07 in defeating Jamaica (44.20) and the Bahamas (46.82). Tarmoh handed the baton off to Oregon's Amber Purvis while Baylor's Tiffany Townsend and LSU's Kenyanna Wilson completed the relay victory.
It marked Tarmoh's second gold medal from the NACAC meet after she won the 100 meters on Friday. During the World Junior Championships in 2008 Tarmoh also captured a pair of gold medals in the 100 and 4 x 100.
Mitchell ran the anchor leg for the American 4 x1 crew that included Fred Rose of Hinds JC and the Florida State duo of Brandon Byram and Maurice Mitchell.
Running even with Jamaica through the first pair of exchanges, the U.S. went ahead on the Mitchell-to-Mitchell baton pass, with Curtis pulling away from Jamaica anchor Rasheed Dwyer all the way to the finish line. The Americans recorded a 38.96 victory with Jamaica second in 39.36. The Dominican Republic and Bahamas did not finish the race.
For the 2010 season Mitchell has the sixth-fastest 200-meter time in the world and is the fourth fastest American. Only an elite group of world-class sprinters have run faster than Mitchell this year - Usain Bolt (19.56), Walter Dix (19.72), Tyson Gay (19.76), Asafa Powell (19.97) and Wallace Spearmon (19.98 / 19.77w).
Running in the first of three semifinal heats, with a 2.0 wind, Mitchell cruised in lane four around the curve and eased up in the final five meters of the race. His 19.99 came close to taking the heat by a full second as Antoine Adams of St. Kitts placed second in 20.80. The other heat winners recorded times of 20.31 and 21.06.
The 200 final at the NACAC U-23 meet will be held at 5:05 p.m. (CST) on Sunday.
Running in his home state for the first time since high school, Mitchell produced a memorable highlight of his sprinting career for his mother and other family members. Mitchell was born in Daytona Beach, Florida, and attended school in Port Orange, Florida, at Atlantic High School.
Mitchell's time is equal to No. 22 on the U.S. all-time list in the event, joining Calvin Smith, Sr. (1983) and Rodney Martin (2008) who also registered 19.99 as their career best mark. On the all-time collegiate list Mitchell ties Smith again at No. 15.
Among Aggie sprinters Mitchell only trails the 19.95 school record Floyd Heard established in 1987 at the Southwest Conference Championships in Lubbock. Mitchell passes the 20.03 and 20.12 performances Heard recorded in 1986 on the A&M all-time list.
Mitchell is only the second Aggie sprinter to accomplish the feat as he lowered his career best from 20.23 he set in Austin during the NCAA West preliminary rounds in late May. Mitchell arrived in College Station with a personal best of 20.58. In March he captured the NCAA Indoor title with a 20.38 and finished second in the NCAA Outdoor final in June.
