It was just the prelude of a big day for the Lady Spartans and Whited in particular who won the Class AAA 400-meter dash state championship with a time of 57.33 and followed up as the anchor on East’s 4×200 title-winning squad Saturday at the state track meet at Laidley Field in Charleston.
Joining Whited on the podium as part of the 4×200 victory team were Kiana McClung, Noelle McClintic and Avery Thompson.
Whited finished second in the 100- (12.25) and 200-meter (25.02) events as well.
The 4×200 team she anchored won with a time of 1:43.63.
The individual title was the most dramatic with Whited closing the gap in the final 100 meters, taking the leading in the final 20.
“Of course I saw her coming and. most of these races I’ve been running I’ve not really had anyone with me there in that last 100,” Whited said. “So when I saw her there I was like ‘I’ve really got to kick it into the next gear.’ I’ve got to want it more than she does and I’ve been mentally preparing for the last 100 for days now so I knew this was coming.”
Whited didn’t shy away from the emotional toll and pressure experienced leading up to the victory.
“I’ve been working for this so hard and all this work finally paid off,” Whited said.
