Sam Chandler
Spain Park Outdoor Track
Spain Park’s Daniel Nixon, right, is shown running at the sectional meet at Mountain Brook High School on April 29.
Spain Park High School senior Daniel Nixon entered the Class 4A-7A state meet in Gulf Shores favored to defend his state title in the 800 meters.
He did not disappoint.
Nixon, a Mississippi State signee, rolled to a first-place finish in 1:53.11, lowering his own 7A state-meet record. He also placed second in the 400 meters (48.52) and ran a leg on the Jags’ fourth-place 4x400-meter relay.
All in all, Nixon played a key role in helping the Spain Park boys seal a fifth-place finish with 49 points.
Christian Strong, Damon Wright and Jerome Kirkland supplemented Nixon’s performance with strong showings of their own.
Strong finished fourth in the 110-meter hurdles (14.80) and fifth in the 300 hurdles (39.82); Wright placed second in the shot put with a heave of 54-8; and Kirkland notched a third-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 23-4.
