Third Preliminary Meet of Colgate Women's Games Continues to Set National Pace for Indoor Track Season
(Jan. 9-10) Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY - Nijgia Snapp of Oakcrest High School in Mays Landing, New Jersey stunned officials and an overflow crowd on Friday night, when she took first place in the Colgate Women's Games High School 400 Meters in a time of 55.4 seconds.
Snapp, a high school senior and Pleasantville, NJ native is flirting with a 27 year- old record performance of 53.57 held by Olympic Champion Diane Dixon.
Colgate Games officials note that the time is especially extraordinary and likely a national best to date this season, considering the track at Pratt Institute is flat and that she and other Games' athletes compete without spikes.
"Nijgia is an astonishing talent and she's been finishing in impressive times so far in the prelims, but tonight she just knocked us all out," said an awed Colgate Women's Games Assistant Meet Director Cheryl Toussaint.
Also on Friday night, the Francis sisters from Queens, NY continued their reigns. Older sister Phyllis Francis of Catherine McAuley High School took first place in the high jump for the third straight week, clearing 5'0," while younger sister Claudia Francis of Benjamin Cardoza High School finished first in the 1500 Meters in 4:47.1.
This weekend was the third of four weekends of preliminaries held at Pratt Institute's indoor track, leading up to a semi-finals event for top point scorers. The semi-finals determine who will compete for trophies and educational grants-in-aid from Colgate-Palmolive Company. The Colgate Women's Games finals will take place at the world's most famous arena, Madison Square Garden, on Saturday, January 31.
The Games have produced 22 former Olympians, hundreds of age/grade division national champions and countless changed lives. Coaches, college recruiters, participants, family and friends can follow scores and results each week at www.colgategames.com.
Tickets to the Madison Square Garden finals are free. Visit www.colgategames.com to request up to 25 tickets. Larger groups can also be accommodated by request to the meet director also by visiting www.colgategames.com.
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