A pair of Queens sisters turned up the heat on a chilly New Year’s Eve by dominating their events at the 36th Annual Colgate Women’s Games at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.
In Thursday’s high school competition, Claudia Francis took the 800 and 1500 meters with respective 2:15.1 and 4:46.1 performances, while older sister Phyllis cleared 5’6” to win the high jump event at the nation’s longest running free track and field competition for girls and women.
Another standout Queens star at the Games was Lateisha “Lala” Philson of Benjamin Cardozo High School. She led the 55 Meter Hurdles for the second week in a row, finishing in 8.2 seconds.
There are two more preliminary meets during the weekends of January 8 and 15, followed by the semi-finals on January 23. Athletes with the most cumulative points earn a spot at the finals on January 30 at Madison Square Garden.
At the finals, athletes will compete for trophies and educational grants-in-aid from Colgate-Palmolive Company.
The Games have produced 22 former Olympians and hundreds of age/grade division national champions. Coaches, college recruiters, participants, family and friends can follow scores and results each week at www.colgategames.com.
Track and Field events
In other track and field news, Alaine Tate of Bayside High School ran the 1000 meter in 3:00.73 and the 1500 meter in 4:53.77 at the Public School Athletic League (PSAL) Holiday Games at the New York City Armory Track and Field Center on December 26.
As if that was not enough, two days later Tate finished the 800 meter in 2:15.43 at the Marine Corp Holiday Classic. According to Dyestat.com, Tate’s times in the 800m and 1000m place her among the elites nationally.
Tate will compete at upcoming Hispanic Games in the Invitational Mile at the Armory Track and Field Center in New York.
