GAINESVILLE - Fleming Island High freshman distance runner Mei Chiang continued her attempt to get to the top of the state mile list with a fourth place finish at the prestigious Pepsi Relays at the University of Florida on Fri., March 29.

Chiang, who owns most of the distance school records at Fleming Island High, finished in five minutes, 16.17 seconds to take fourth behind winner Kayla Gholar, of Richmond Hills (GA), who won in 5:10.03. Gholar was sixth in the Class 6A 1600 in Georgia last year in 5:25.57 and sixth in the 800 in 2:20.61. Timber Creek freshman Amber Schulz was second in 5:10.93 with Fort Myers junior Stephy Ormsby third at 5:13.28.

Also in the race and running a best time was Fleming Island sophomore Marisa Kortright who took 19th in 5:23.11. Freshman Lauren Schaudel was 24th in 5:25.35 with Keystone Heights sophomore Camryn Williams 35th in 5:31.92.

In the boys 1600, Keystone Heights High senior Alex Guy took fifth place in 4:23.53 to own the Keystone Heights High School record look long held by Enoch Nadler, 33, now a coach at Gainesville’s Florida Track Club elite racing team. Nadler’s record was 4:27 set in 2004. “I started coaching Alex last year after meeting him at these Florida Relays,” said Nadler, who is preparing for the April 15 Boston Marathon and the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in June 2020. “We both set out the goals of breaking my record in the 1600, setting the school record in the 800 and running in college. Alex set the school record in the 800 a few weeks back and then one year later at the same meet we met, he broke the 1600 record. It was amazing to be there to watch him break it.”

Also in the boys 1600, Ridgeview High’s Joel Nesi finished 14th in 4:30.34.

Top finisher in the boys 1600 was Oak Hall sophomore Austin Montini in 4:20.96 with Lake Highland Prep senior Isaac Jacobs second in 4:21.12.

At the Class 1A championships last year, Montini finished ninth in the 1600 in 4:31.58 and 12th in the 3200 in 10:05.19. In Class 2A, Guy finished ahead of Jacobs in the region 2-2A 800; second and third, in 1:59.37 for Guy, 1:59.91 for Jacobs. In the Class 2A championship, Jacobs finished 10th in 1:57.86 with Guy 16th at 2:00.33. Guy also ran the Class 2A 1600 finishing 15th in 4:30.44.

In the 110 high hurdles, Fleming Island High senior Glenn Rodgers, who placed second with a 14.22 split at the Bob Hayes Invite, then crashed at the UNF Spring Break Open, returned to the finish line with a 14.56 time for 10th place in prelims. Rodgers had a wrist brace after his fall at UNF. In the 3200, won in 9:20.55 by Richmond Hills’ Jalen Murray, Nesi finished seventh in 9:41.02 for a best time for him in that event. Murray was fourth in the 1600 in 4:26.24 and seventh in the 3200 in 9:47.28 for Class 6A in Georgia last year. Oakleaf High junior Dylan Nelson was 14th in 9:49.37.