Here is Daniel, the Jamaican flash, playing in Lake Erie on Saturday July 13, 2013, the day before his Regional races, but this does not mean he came to play.
In fact, Daniel was as serious at this meet than a "Heart Attack." What had me worried was the fact that it had been hot and humid for the past 2 weeks. Daniel does not perform well in hot humid weather. His seed times for the 1500 and 800 Meter Runs was very bad. If they are as bad as at this Regional as it was at the Association meet, he would not be going to nationals. Stephanie led Daniel in a private prayer away from me and the rest of the spectators at the meet. When they were done, I asked Daniel did he pray. Both Daniel and Stephanie said yes and I left it at that. Knowing that the Lord does not take sides in sporting events, I got Daniel ready for his first task. That task was to qualify for the 1500 Meter Run.
When Daniel went into the waiting area for the start of his race, the sky was sunny, hot, and humid. The sweat started pouring off me. This is the type of weather that Daniel does not do well in. When Daniel came out for his race, the sun went behind clouds that suddenly appeared. The air got cooler. It was just the type of weather that Daniel does well in. Since the weather is the same for all athletes at the same time, God did not interfere with the event on any ones side. Here is the result of the 1500 Meter Run.
1500 Run 8&Under
When it came time for Daniel to run his 800 Meter Run, the sun went back behind the clouds. The air cooled and the race started. Click here to see the race.
Here are the results;
800 Run 8&Under
Again, two objectives were made. Daniel placed 4th in the 800 Meter Run and qualified for Nationals. The Flash ran his personal best, running below 3 minutes for the first time in his life. (Running 1/2 Miles)
Daniel's Supporters
Daniel's Regional Supporter dropped by Daniel's tent to congratulate him on qualifying to go to Nationals.
In the picture above, one of the St. Luke Spirit parents from Germantown, Pa. came by the tent looking for Daniel as many people did from Pittsburgh, the upstate New York area, New Jersey, Delaware, as well as Philadelphia. However, many had to congratulate Daniel while he traveled from and to his events. Stephanie and Daniel stayed in the car in the air conditioning between his two events. After the 1500 Meter Run, the clouds retreated and the bright hot sun came back out as you can see in this picture taken 30 minutes after Daniel's 1500 Meter Run.
About the USATF Region 2 Meet
The 2013 USA Track & Field Region 2 Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships was held at Strider Field in Jamestown,N.Y.
In the picture above, one of the St. Luke Spirit parents from Germantown, Pa. came by the tent looking for Daniel as many people did from Pittsburgh, the upstate New York area, New Jersey, Delaware, as well as Philadelphia. However, many had to congratulate Daniel while he traveled from and to his events. Stephanie and Daniel stayed in the car in the air conditioning between his two events. After the 1500 Meter Run, the clouds retreated and the bright hot sun came back out as you can see in this picture taken 30 minutes after Daniel's 1500 Meter Run.
About the USATF Region 2 Meet
The 2013 USA Track & Field Region 2 Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships was held at Strider Field in Jamestown,N.Y.
The Chautauqua Striders, along with USATF Niagara, host the four-day event, which ran Thursday through Sunday. A total of 1,526 athletes - 742 male and 784 female - from New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia and New Jersey, along with their coaches and parents, was in Jamestown for much of the week. The athlete totaled about 400 more than when the event was held in the city four years ago.
"Since we hosted the meet in 2009, I have been asked, 'When is that big meet returning to Jamestown,'" said David Reinhardt, Striders program director. "We are very excited about bringing the Region 2 Championships back to Strider Field. We set the bar high four years ago and plan to give our Region 2 friends an even better show in 2013."
The Junior Olympic program is USA Track and Field's largest national youth program. Annually more than 75,000 athletes compete in association, regional and national championships. The age group competition (8 and under through 18 years old) will display some of the nation's best youth athletes as they run, jump and throw with the hopes of earning an opportunity to advance to the USATF National Junior Olympics Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina on July 22-28. The top 5 athletes in each division advance to participate at the Irwin Belk Track, North Carolina A&T State University.
Athletes from four USATF associations and six different states that comprise the Region 2 qualified to compete in Jamestown and went for the gold at Strider Field.
The four USA Track and Field Associations are Niagara (Upstate New York), Three Rivers (Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia), Mid-Atlantic (Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware) and New Jersey (entire state).
"We are extremely excited to host the 2013 USATF Region 2 Track & Field Championships," said USATF Niagara Board President, Bill Quinlisk. "We are looking forward to working with the Chautauqua Striders and the Jamestown community to offer a great experience for coaches, parents and athletes."
An estimated 55 volunteers was needed each day to make this event happen. Additionally, the Striders and USATF Niagara worked with local businesses and organizations to make sure the needs of the athletes, parents, and coaches were met when they were away from Strider Field.
The History of Daniel's 4 Years in the USATF
This is Daniel's third USATF National Meet in less than 12 months:
Since he started USATF Competition, Daniel has qualified for two other National meets:
Both meets he could not participate in because of USATF Rule 100c saying that you must be at least 7 years old to participate in a USATF National Meet.
Going Home!
As Daniel and Stephanie packed up to go home, that "God awful" all sunny skies and humidity came again. I had to asked the New York Jamaican Track Team for some water. They were very glad to give it to me. On our 5 hour trip home, things got back to normal. Stephanie started complaining about Daniel snoring. I told her to leave Daniel alone. He is tired and he earned the right to do some snoring.
Stephanie continued her protest of the George Zimmerman Trial, wearing her hoodie in the car and into the convenience store in Warren, Pa.
The Miracle
If someone was telling me this story about God interfering in two track and field races, I would not believe them. But I was there in the 90 degree hot/humid weather and I saw the clouds come before the 1500 Meter run, leave, then come back again for the 800 Meter Run. It appears to me that Daniel has "right standing" with God. If that is the case, I hope he brings God to Nationals. As his younger brother would say, "Go Daniel Go!" All I can say to Daniel is, "May the force be with you, always!
The History of Daniel's 4 Years in the USATF
This is Daniel's third USATF National Meet in less than 12 months:
- December 2012 in New Mexico, the USATF Cross Country Meet;
- March 2013 the Indoor USATF meet just outside Washington DC;
- Now the 2013 Outdoor USATF meet in North Carolina.
Since he started USATF Competition, Daniel has qualified for two other National meets:
- USATF Indoor meet in Chicago at age 5;
- USATF Cross County Meet in South Carolina at age 6.
Both meets he could not participate in because of USATF Rule 100c saying that you must be at least 7 years old to participate in a USATF National Meet.
Going Home!
As Daniel and Stephanie packed up to go home, that "God awful" all sunny skies and humidity came again. I had to asked the New York Jamaican Track Team for some water. They were very glad to give it to me. On our 5 hour trip home, things got back to normal. Stephanie started complaining about Daniel snoring. I told her to leave Daniel alone. He is tired and he earned the right to do some snoring.
Stephanie continued her protest of the George Zimmerman Trial, wearing her hoodie in the car and into the convenience store in Warren, Pa.
The Miracle
If someone was telling me this story about God interfering in two track and field races, I would not believe them. But I was there in the 90 degree hot/humid weather and I saw the clouds come before the 1500 Meter run, leave, then come back again for the 800 Meter Run. It appears to me that Daniel has "right standing" with God. If that is the case, I hope he brings God to Nationals. As his younger brother would say, "Go Daniel Go!" All I can say to Daniel is, "May the force be with you, always!
Something to Shoot For!
At the USATF Region 2 Meet in Jamestown, N.Y. Daniel Tulloch ran a 5 Minute, 55.75 Sec. 1500 Meter Run placing third. That means by USATF Age Grading Calculations, the Flash is at 76.49%. If you follow USATF unofficial gauge of development, an 8 year old male at 76.49% is between a regional and a national runner (80% is national; 70% is regional). To become a national runner, he will have to run a 5 Minute, 39.42 Sec. 1500 Meter Run at Nationals. If he wants to be a World Class runner (90%), he will have to run the 1500 in 5 Minutes, 1.71 Sec.
Awesome Darnell! Congrats to Daniel!
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