May 31, 2014                                                                                                                                               For Immediate Release

Atlanta, Georgia – Girls and Boys who won USA Track & Field / AAU events and set national records competed in the 8th annual Mark Trail Memorial Day Invitational track and field meet that took place on Saturday, May 24^th and Sunday, May 25^th at Westlake High School in Atlanta, Georgia. 

There were 1,569 athletes entered in 279 events.  The contestants came near and far traveling from the states of Georgia, Texas, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Maryland, Louisiana and Ohio.  There were a host of stellar performances, with many of the athletes using this meet to prepare for a final chance to compete in both the USATF and AAU national finals.  As a result, 56 male and 56 female track and field records were broken during this two day weekend event.

Tia Jones of the Full Throttle Elite Track Club from Marietta, Georgia is a highly touted athlete who was featured in several of the female contestant.  Ms. Jones was crowned a dual champion while competing in the 13-14 girls’ age division and posted meet record winning times in both the 100m hurdles (13.88) and 200m dash (24.77).  In July 2013, Ms. Jones was named the USA Track & Field Athlete of the Week when she won the 13-14 girls’ 100m hurdles (13.53) and 200m hurdles (25.80) setting national and Junior Olympic records in both events at the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships hosted in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Sidi Njie of the Georgia Favor Track Club from College Park, Georgia won the 100m (14.50), 200m (29.38) and 400m (1:09.64) races setting records in all three events in the 7 & under boys’ age division.

Candace Hill of the Dynamic Speed Track Club from Conyers, Georgia was crowned a dual champion in the 15-16 girls’ age division after winning both the 100m (11.68) and 200m (24.25) races in meet record setting time.  Additionally, in early May 2014, Ms. Hill was crowned the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) 6A State Meet 100m (11.44) and 200m (23.21) champion setting records in both events as only a 9^th grade freshman.

The Georgia Elite team (pictured L to R: Madison Duggan, Jacob Burgamy, Daniel Glick, and Elijah Glick) was crowned champion in the 17-18 Men 4x800m relay event (8:28.96) posting a meet record winning time.

Tenae’ Grigsby, running for the Premier Athletic Track Club of Ellenwood, Georgia was crowned a dual champion at the meet.  She competed in the 13-14 girls’ age division winning the 400m dash in a record setting time of 56.32 and the 800m run with a near record setting time of 2:16.92.

The Mark Trail Invitational is an outdoor track & field meet hosted annually each Memorial Holiday weekend in Atlanta, Georgia.  “The meet has become very popular because the fastest athletes (some who are typically State and National champions) come from a variety of states to compete against each other as a tune up for summer National USATF and AAU championships” said Mr. Stephon Rivas, President of the Mark Trail Athletic Association, Incorporated and meet coordinator.  Mr. Rivas encourages both youth and adults to stay involved with the sport that he once competed and desires to see people everywhere fall in love with it as he has.