Michelle Smith.
The Virgin Islands Track and Field Federation announced on Monday the remarkable achievements of Virgin Islands sports ambassador, Michelle Smith, at the Louie Bing Invitational held on February 16 and 17 in Miami, Florida.
Smith, a high school senior at Montverde Academy, excelled in the semi-finals of both the 100m and 400m hurdles, securing first place in each event and advancing to the finals.
Smith set a new meet record in the semi-final of the 400m hurdles with a time of 57.11, later surpassing her own record in the final with a groundbreaking time of 56.82. This performance not only positions Smith as the world's leading Under-20 (U20) athlete in the 400m hurdles but also establishes her as the holder of the fastest time ever recorded by a high school athlete in Florida for the event.
Additionally, Smith achieved a first-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 5.64 meters and secured a silver medal in the 100m hurdles, clocking in at 14.10 seconds. In recognition of her outstanding achievements, Smith was awarded the Most Valuable Athlete trophy at the invitational.
Smith is set to compete in her final indoor meet for her high school career at the New Balance Indoor Nationals Championship in Boston, Massachusetts, from March 8 to 10, 2024.
Malique Smith Represents VI in USC Indoor Open
In related news, Virgin Islands Track and Field Team member Malique Smith participated in the USC Indoor Open meet on February 17, in Columbia, South Carolina. Smith finished third in his heat of the 400m with a commendable time of 49.01.
Looking ahead, Malique Smith is preparing to represent the Virgin Islands at the World Indoor Championships scheduled to take place from March 1 to 3 in Glasgow, Scotland.
