Amirah Nesmith, a senior member of the Cheltenham High School track & field team, took home multiple gold medals at the District I AAA Championships over the May 16 weekend.
Nesmith won the 100M in 11.47 (a District I wind-legal record) and the 200M (season state best 23.73). The 4x100M relay of Nesmith, Amira Banks, Jadesola Turton and Nyla Rasheed ran a state qualifying 47.90 and qualified for states.
A week later, Nesmith capped her senior season with her third consecutive AAA state title in the 100M Saturday at Shippensburg University. She ran 11.61 and outpaced the competition by .28 seconds.
Head coach Jerome Lowery said he couldn’t be prouder.
“In coaching her, I’ve seen the work ethic and her determination she brings. She puts in a lot of hard work at practice. She has goals, and every year she’s achieved them,” he said. “It’s been great to watch her bond with her teammates. She always makes sure that she has time to compete in relays, and that adds to the type of character that she presents.”
According to official rankings, Nesmith has the fastest time in the 100M and the 200M over the past three years. Lowery noted that she has also been named an All-American for winter and spring indoor track in the 60M dash. In outdoor track, she has been named an All-American in the 100M, the 4×1 and 4×2.
“Since 7th grade, Amirah has known that she wanted to achieve great things in the sport. Through hard work each year, she has achieved so many accomplishments,” Coach Diamond Woolford, president and co-founder of Athletic Development Group, Inc., said.
Nesmith finishes her high school career with five individual state titles, setting the PIAA AAA girls District 1 100M record along with several school records. She has committed to run for the University of Florida Gators this fall and has been invited to compete in a prestigious track and field meet in Seattle, Washington June 6-8.
In related news, sophomore Khloe Saintable also qualified for states, finishing eighth in the 100M hurdles (15.20). Turton placed eighth in the 200M (25.63).
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Photos: CSD