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Locke stays right on track at Golden South Classic

TBO.com photo by BILL WARD

Locke, center, wins the 100-meter dash finals of the Golden South Classic in 10.51 seconds.

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By BILL WARD | TBO.com

Published: May 31, 2009

ORLANDO - After straining his left hamstring in the qualifying rounds, Dentarius Locke seriously considered dropping out of Saturday night's 100-meter dash finals of the Golden South Classic track and field meet.

But that's about the same time the outgoing Chamberlain senior thought about who he was: the best high school sprinter in the nation this season.

With a little more than an hour between the time he suffered the injury and the 100 finals, Locke pulled out the victory in 10.51 seconds.

He defeated the Class 3A state champion in the 100, John Little of Gainesville Eastside, who ran 10.62 for second place.

"I think it was the pride thing that made me run," said Locke, who won the 100 and 200 in the 4A state meet, setting state records in both. "I didn't want to leave without something. It could have been a bad decision but it turned out for the best."

Locke also didn't want to disappoint family members who turned up at Orlando's First Academy for his final prep meet in Florida. Among them was his grandmother, a cousin and an uncle, Harold Locke, who helped convince Dentarius he was capable of defeating the remaining field.

"I told him his qualifying times were blowing everyone else out of the water," Harold Locke said. "He just had to block the hamstring strain out of his mind."

Although Locke was able to overcome the pain to win the 100, he said once he reached the finish line he felt the same tightness in his left hamstring. That's why he and his coach, Hansford Johnson, decided against running the 200 finals even though he was the top qualifier.

Locke's plans now include next week's Great Southwest Classic meet in Albuquerque, N.M.; the Nike Outdoor Nationals on June 18-20 in Greensboro, N.C.; and the USATF senior nationals in Eugene, Ore., on June 25-28.

Earlier Saturday, outgoing Wesley Chapel senior Kamran Joyer captured the shot put title on his final throw of the day. Runner-up Austin Gamble of Cypress Bay went into the lead with his mark of 55-1.75 on his last toss, but Joyer, who had to be back in Tampa for his school's graduation ceremonies, answered with a throw of 56-2.

Also taking a title in Saturday night's finals was Wharton senior Sean Obinwa, who won the 800 in 1:55.59. Obinwa went from seventh place to first in the final 200 meters.

His Wharton teammate, senior Amani Bryant, was third in the 400 hurdles (1:02.84) and seventh in the 100 hurdles (15.68).

Another bronze medalist was Berkeley Prep junior Auston Chen, who was third in the discus (156-1).

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