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Switching To Hurdles Pays Off For Bryant

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By BILL WARD

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 20, 2008

TAMPA - Wharton track coach Wes Newton offered junior Amani Bryant a choice. She could keep running sprint events like the 100- and 200-meter dashes, or take up the hurdles.

But here was the rub: Newton told Bryant she was good enough to win a sprint medal at the state meet, but probably not a gold medal. She was, he told her, plenty fast enough and athletic enough to take the gold medal in a hurdles race.

So, Newton asked Bryant, "What would you rather win? Two medals in the sprints, or a gold in the hurdles?"

"She didn't hesitate a second," Newton said. "She wanted the gold."

So began Bryant's quest for gold at the 2008 Class 3A state track and field championships. The journey actually began last fall, when she agreed to work on her endurance by running cross country for the Wildcats. She would need the stamina to run the 300-meter low hurdles, and as it turned out, Bryant earned a spot on Wharton's varsity cross country squad.

Come January's conditioning drills, Bryant started running over a few hurdles at school. She even took home a hurdle to work with in her spare time. When the season started in April, Bryant, who is also an honors student, was still primarily a sprinter and jumper. But she made her hurdles debut a few weeks later and once she did, it was obvious Bryant and Newton had made a wise decision together.

"I knew she could be good at it," Newton said. "What I had to do was convince Amani she could be good at it."

By the end of the season, Bryant was certain of her hurdling ability. How could she not be? She went undefeated in the 300 hurdles and her winning time at the Class 3A state meet of 42.92 seconds was the fastest performance of all four classes. It's also a time good enough to qualify her for the next month's Nike Outdoor Nationals.

Problem is, Bryant has a stress fracture in her foot and won't be able to run in that meet. Bryant ran on the injured foot for several weeks, including at the state championships.

For her national-class performance and individual state title - the only one by a girls track athlete from Hillsborough County - and doing it despite the pain in her foot, Bryant is The Tampa Tribune's Athlete of the Year for Girls Track and Field.

For Newton, Bryant represents the eighth consecutive year he has guided an athlete to this award. Wharton triple jumper Kendra Smith won the honor in 2001 and 2002, pole vaulter Natalie Moser was the winner in 2003, hurdler/jumper Victoria Michelotti took it in 2004 and hurdler/sprinter Teona Rodgers won the award an unprecedented three consecutive years, from 2005-2007.

GIRLS TRACK FIRST TEAM

High jump: Julianne Morgan, Sr., Plant

Long jump and triple jumps: Marissa McElveen, Jr., Blake; Bianca Morrison, Jr., Sickles

Throws: Ashley Wright, Sr., Hillsborough; LeRia Jenerette, So., Tampa Bay Tech

Pole vault: Morgan Scherschel, Jr., Gaither

4x800 relay: Wharton (Shannon Megs, Erin Bailey, Kathia Skinner, Katrina Skinner)

Hurdles: Danielle Sirmons, Sr., Wharton; Amani Bryant, Jr., Wharton

Sprints: Rikka Lovely, Jr., Gaither; Amani Bryant, Jr., Wharton; Tanesha Maxwell, So., Tampa Bay Tech

4x100 relay: Chamberlain (Amanda Leland, Natalie Lee, Brooke Grizzard, Arteria Brinson)

400: LaShae White, So., Tampa Bay Tech

800: Kathia Skinner, Sr., Wharton

Distances: Katrina Skinner, Sr., Wharton; Grace VanDeGrift, Fr., Durant; Page Price, Sr., Berkeley Prep

4x400 relay: Wharton (Audrey Brown, Shannon Megs, Amani Bryant, Kathia Skinner)

Coach of the Year: Wes Newton, Wharton

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