Photo Credit: Billy Cvecko
Atlanta Track Club Elite Team women began their 2022 indoor season campaign by sweeping the 800m at the Vanderbilt Invitational in Nashville, Tennessee on January 22. Olivia Baker, Sadi Henderson and Gemma Finch finished 1-3 with Baker's time of 2:01.52 being an indoor personal best and facility record. Yolanda Ngarambe snagged the 3,000m win in 9:05.18 with Emma Grace Hurley finishing second in a personal best time of 9:11.97.
"To finally get to don the Atlanta Track Club adidas kit in a track race for the first time was surreal," said Baker. "I'm honored to have the opportunity to represent a Club and brand that works so hard to empower the track and field community and to do so alongside my new teammates made this experience all the more fun. Practice has been showing me that I am in good shape and opening up my rust buster with a personal best further confirms that."
To watch a postrace interview with Baker click here.
On the Elite Team men's side, Abe Alvarado and Shane Streich opened their seasons strong by dipping just under 1:48 in the 800m to claim second and third. Samson Colebrooke and Akeem Sirleaf turned in big results in the 200m, battling it out for first and second with impressive times of 21.33 and 21.34 on the flat 300m track.
The 2022 Elite Team features nine new athletes and seven returning stars. Returners Allie Wilson and Alvarado as well as newcomers Streich, Ryan Adams and Daniel Nixon look for continued success after competing in the 2020 Olympic Trials 800m. Colebrooke leads a new crew of Elite sprinters after competing in the 2020 Olympics games 100m.
Follow the team's journey through the indoor season as they compete in the world's biggest competitions. The 114th Millrose Games, New Balance Indoor Grand Prix and USATF Indoor Championships are just a few of the exciting meets on their calendar, which culminates with the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade, Serbia on March 18-20.
