Relay and hurdler return to California

~ Hurdler Alonzo Nelson and Miles Smith will team up with Chris Poindexter and Walt Washington in the 1,600 relay.

While Miles Smith enters this week's NCAA outdoor championships with a legitimate shot to finish toward the top in the 400 meters, Southeast Missouri State's other two entries in Sacramento, Calif., are much less heralded.

But coach Joey Haines doesn't see any reason why Alonzo Nelson in the 400 meter hurdles and the Redhawks' 1,600 meter relay team can't challenge for berths in the finals, which would mean top-eight finishes and All-American honors.

"That's our goal for both, and we feel like they can make it," Haines said.

Aiding the cause of both Nelson and the relay will be experience. Nelson and three of the four relay members will compete at nationals for the second year in a row.

"They've been there before, and they know what it's like," Haines said. "And this year they're not just happy to be there, which was probably the case last year, when they basically used everything they had to get there.

"That's not the case this year. They've got something left in the tank."

Nelson, a senior from East St. Louis, Ill., finished sixth at the NCAA Mideast Regional on May 27 in Knoxville, Tenn. That did not automatically qualify him for the national meet, but he earned an at-large berth based on his time of 50.77 seconds -- matching his own school record from last year -- that ranks 19th nationally.

Last year, Nelson finished seventh in the regional and also earned an at-large national berth, but he did not advance to the finals.

"I'm excited," said Nelson, who competes in the first round Thursday night.

The semifinals are Friday night, and the finals are Saturday afternoon.

"I feel blessed to get to nationals for the second year in a row, and I really want to be an All-American," Nelson added. "That's my goal. That's what I train for."

Nelson is encouraged by the fact that he tied his personal best at the recent regional meet despite being under the weather.

"I was sick and I still tied my school record," he said. "I know I'll have to run quite a bit faster to make the finals, but I definitely feel I can do it."

So does Haines, who said, "Alonzo will have to run faster, but he's capable. He needs a good, solid race to get out of the first round, then in the semifinals he has to have a big race.

"Alonzo has kind of gotten overshadowed by Miles," Haines added, "but he's had another really good year, and he's had a great career for us. Hopefully he'll have a really good national meet."

The 1,600 relay team of Nelson and three St. Louis natives -- sophomore Chris Poindexter (McCluer North High School), senior Walt Washington (Webster Groves High School) and junior anchor Smith (Riverview Gardens High School) -- also did not automatically qualify for nationals after placing fifth in the regional.

But the group's time of 3:05.54 from the regional -- a school record -- earned an at-large berth as the nation's 12th-fastest mark.

Last year, the relay group -- Poindexter, Nelson, Smith and Chaz Brown -- also earned an at-large national berth but failed to make the finals.

However, this season's relay has already run about a second faster than last year's, which gives the unit hope. And its time in the regional was accomplished out of a slow heat.

"I think we can shave around one or two seconds off our time," Washington said. "Our goal is to make the finals, and we would like to break the school record again."

Said Nelson: "We went from like the 72nd fastest time in the nation to the 12th fastest. We know we can go even faster."

The 1,600 relay semifinals are Thursday night, with the finals Saturday afternoon.

"We were in the slow heat at regionals and we won it by about 30 meters, so I know we can run faster," Haines said.

While the relay group's top time is the nation's 12th fastest, it ranks not very far behind the No. 6 time of 3:05.11 posted by Washington.

"Sixth through 12th is really bunched up tight," Haines said. "If we run a good race in the semifinals, we can get in the finals.

"We'll be better than we were two weeks ago [at the regional]. Last year we would have been tickled to get ninth. This year we'd be disappointed."