Chambers and Craig Take “Outstanding Track & Field Athlete” Honors at Grandfather Mountain Highland Games

GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN, N.C.—Carissa Chambers, 28, an optometrist in Johnson City, Tenn., was named the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games’ Outstanding Women’s Athlete of the Games for the second straight year.

Chambers won the 100- and 220-yard dash races, finished second in the 440 and placed third in the triple and long jumps to edge out Sophia Randolph of San Francisco and Mary Chesnut Smith of New York City in a tight race for the title.

Chambers runs with the State of Franklin Track Club to stay in shape for her competition events, which include 5Ks, triathlon and Half Ironman. She will complete a full Ironman this fall.

Randolph won the triple and long jumps and placed third in the mile run and 100-yard dash. Smith won the mile run and finished second in the 880-yard dash, the triple jump and the long jump.

Samuel Craig, 16, of Granite Falls, N.C., won the men’s division. The quick, rising junior at South Caldwell High School won the 100-, 220- and 440- yard dash races, and he finished second in the long jump.

Aaron Hale from Raleigh finished second with a victory in the two-mile run and second in the 440- and 880-dash races. He placed third in the mile run. Landon Hunt easily won the long jump and pole vault to place third.

Craig is a star on his high school track team, with victories in the 100-, 220- and 440-yard dashes. He is part of a 4×100-yard relay team that set his school and conference record. Craig also plays strong safety on his football team. His dream is to run track and play football in college.

Last year, he broke his tibia in his right leg, and he now runs with a titanium rod inserted in his leg.

WOMEN’S EVENTS

100-Yard Dash
Carissa Chambers, Johnson City, Tenn. – 13.9 seconds
Caitlin Mason, Iron Station, N.C. – 14.6

220-Yard Dash
Carissa Chambers – 31.4
Elliott Bradley, Charlotte, N.C. – 32.5

440-Yard Dash
Elliott Bradley – 1:13 minute/seconds
Carissa Chambers – 1:21

880-Yard Dash
Sarah Bigelow, Cary, N.C. – 2:49
Mary Chesnut Smith, New York City – 3:03

Mile Run
Mary Chesnut Smith – 6:45
Caitlin Mason – 8:48

Long Jump
Sophia Randolph, San Francisco – 12’ 9.5”
Mary Chesnut Smith – 11’ 10”

Triple Jump
Sophia Randolph – 28’ 6.25”
Mary Chesnut Smith – 27’ 4”

 

MEN’S EVENTS

100-Yard Dash
Samuel Craig, Granite Falls, N.C. – 11.3 seconds
Craig Edney, Waxhaw, N.C. – 12.2

220-Yard Dash
Samuel Craig – 27
Craig Edney – 28

440-Yard Dash
Samuel Craig – 1:03 minutes/seconds
Aaron Hale, Raleigh, N.C. – 1:06

880-Yard Dash
Sean Nicol, Raleigh – 2:32
Aaron Hale -2:39

Mile Run
Douglas Kirkpatrick, Birmingham, Ala. – 4:55
Sean Nicol – 5:14

2-Mile Run
Aaron Hale – 11:10
Colin Hockman, Wilmington, N.C. – 12:09

Long Jump
Landon Hunt, Bryson City, N.C. – 18’ 6”
Samuel Craig – 15’ 7”

Triple Jump
Tom Randolph, Richmond, Mass. – 33’ 5”
Lee Bradley, Charlotte – 28’ 2”

Pole Vault
Landon Hunt – 14’ 6”

 

For more information about the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, visit www.gmhg.org, or call (828) 733-1333.

The not-for-profit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation strives to inspire conservation of the natural world by helping guests explore, understand and value the wonders of Grandfather Mountain. For more information, call (800) 468-7325, or visit www.grandfather.com to plan a trip.