Fastest Out the Blocks: Falcon freshman sets new school record

When indoor track Coach James Carter suggested she try the 500-meter race, 9th grader Blake Lawrence-Johnson wasn’t expecting to set a new school and meet record. Her focus had always been the 400. But what started as a strategy to build endurance during the indoor season quickly turned into something much bigger.

“I saw an opportunity to build my endurance for the 400 during outdoor season,” she said. “I had no plans of breaking the school and a meet record (in Winston-Salem in January) my first time running the 500 indoors.”

Her blistering pace earned her the 8A Women’s Indoor Athlete of the Year award for the conference during that meet. Her 1:14.92 time

shattered the JHS mark by seven seconds and fell just two seconds shy of the state record.

“I feel fine. It’s a big deal to other people, but not to me. When I break a national record then I’ll get excited. I don’t want to be the number one freshman. I want to be number one in everything,” the 14-year-old said. She’s currently ranked #2 nationally in events for her age group. She started in the sport at age 5, running against boys and older people to improve. “I want to beat everybody.” Coach Carter says, “She’s very talented. Her future is as bright as she wants it to be.” Next up is the outdoor spring season. Lawrence-Johnson is expected to compete in the 100, 200, 400 and relay races.