ROANOKE, Va. – Competing against some of the fastest runners at the New Balance Nationals at North Carolina A&T in June, four William Fleming High School boys knew they had a shot at gold in the 800-meter medley.
But first, they got a pep talk from their assistant coach, Stephanie Cooper.
"Go in with your head up and just do what you know what to do which is run track and give it 100%," she said.
And that's exactly what they did. Freshman Micah Jones rounded the first 100 meters on the curve where his teammate Timothy Allen was waiting.
"So we were in lane eight and I was just focused on getting the baton because I'm not used to getting the baton in my left hand," Allen explained. "I got it in my hand, I couldn't see anybody so I was just focused on getting it out and running as hard as I could and getting it to my teammate."
Then onto the 200-meter stretch, which Robert Martin took over.
"I was also nervous because I wasn't sure what had happened-, I was kind of drained from the heat a little bit but I knew I could execute in my leg," Martin said.
Finally, the last 400 meters of the race. Senior Tajai Jackson was all confidence, all the time.
"When we were entering the final 400, we were maybe in second place, about 7 meters behind," he said. "I just got to make up the lead for that, I passed him in the last 100, I passed him and that was it."
Jackson crossed the finish line in first place at 1:33.55 seconds. Suddenly he realized what he had just done.
"It felt amazing winning with my friends and everything, feeling so much excitement, I was so happy," the senior said.
And first place meant a national title for the Colonels.
"These guys put in a lot of hard training and hard work, and extra work throughout the season and it actually paid off here in the end," head coach Robert Vineyard said. "To be in the nationals and things is a lifetime experience and to win it all in a year in an event is a definite lifetime experience."