Nelda Huggins got the 2012 season off to a flying start with a 11.90 run in the 100m at the BVIAA Development Meet held on the AOS Mondo Track.

J'Maal Alexander notched a victory in the Male Open 100m in 10.60 after outrunning Mark Kendall’s 10.89.

Khiry Creque and Raheem “Ras” Taylor had an epic battle in the 1500m with the lead changing hands many times over the distance before Creque took the tape in a time of 4:25.86.

At least Lacey had the satisfaction of stopping Top Notch recording a one-two as she pipped Ashley Penn into 3rd place.

Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner, the 2011 BVI Athletics Association Most Improved Female Athlete of the Year, won the Open 400m in 58.30, placing just ahead of 800m National Record holder Samantha John in her return to competition.

J’Maal Alexander notched a victory in the Male Open 100m in 10.60, after outrunning Mark Kendall’s 10.89. 2011 IAAF World Youth Championships qualifier Shaquoy Stephens opened his campaign with 50.26 seconds time in the 400m.

Tarika Moses flirted with the 800m National Youth Record finishing with a time of 2 minutes and 19 seconds.

Khiry Creque and Raheem “Ras” Taylor had an epic battle in the 1500m with the lead changing hands many times over the distance before Creque took the tape in a time of 4:25.86. Taylor’s time was 4:34.13.

Meet Director Dag Sammuels was very pleased with the day’s action and saw some key performances from future stars as well as the more well-known names.

“We had several performances that we have to take note of, although all the running events were hand timed,” he said. “We had some really fast times in the 800m, and boys under 11 and we had a low 50 seconds in the 400m.”

He also noted that, “compared to previous years, I think today, we started off with a big bang. All in all, I think we had a good beginning for our development series.”

“That by the fourth race in the Gatorade Development Series there’ll be good things coming. By that time, everybody will be into their own events and we should see some fantastic performances, both on the field and on the track,” he added.

The next meet in the Gatorade Development Series is scheduled for January 28.

Reigning Big 10 Conference Indoor 400m champion Illinois’ Ashley Kelly, got her season going with a pair of second place finishes in the Illini Open 60 and 200m dashes. Kelly posted times of 7.61 seconds in the finals after a 7.62 prelims and 24.63 seconds over the 200m.

“My off season prep has gone extremely well. We have tried new things and have emphasized endurance work, which I think will help me in the latter half of my 400m. My team and I are all on a mission to do great this year so it helps when we all have a positive attitude on the track which yield positive results,” she pointed out.

Portland State’s Karene King won her section of the 60m dash at the Washington Huskies Open in 7.67 seconds to place fifth overall. She had a preliminary time of 7.72.

Teammate Dominique Maloney was victorious in her 400m heat with an indoor personal best of 57.08 seconds—the fourth overall best time.

“This being my first indoor season at Portland State, I’m looking forward to running some great times an making the best of it.”

Morgan State Jr. Britney Wattley was sixth in the NYC Gotham Cup 60m in 7.75 after running a personal best 7.71 to advance. She was fifth in her 400m heat in 1:01.78.

Chantel Malone - the Sol 2011 BVI Sr. Female Athlete of the Year - in her first season after completing her eligibility at Texas - opened her indoor campaign by winning the Houston Leonard Hilton Invitational 200m with a personal best of 24.29 seconds, and was fourth overall in the 400m after running 55.45.

At the same meet, Omar Jones ran 7.36 in the 60m to place fifth in his heat after spraining his ankle and fouling out of the Long Jump.