By Michael Newman, ILXCTF.com Editor

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There was no one athlete that was dominating in the 2A field events in 2017. If there was one athlete that stood out, it was Imani Carothers of Brooks College Prep. The junior won the Triple Jump with the longest mark ever in Illinois State Meet Record history (42-10) even though it will not be recognized as a meet record. The wind reading was over the 2.0 m/s allowable (+2.9).

The jump was one of the best in the nation. It is currently fifth nationally. It is her approach towards the event that is unique. While most athletes are working on their events in the off-season looking toward the event during the outdoor season, Carothers does not. She has not competed indoors in the Triple Jump the past two years. She works on technique for the Long Jump and the hurdles but never competing in the hop, skip, and jump. It paid off this year winning the Triple Jump and the 100 Meter Hurdles for the second year in a row. Her time of 13.72 in the hurdles makes her one of the top fifteen returning athletes for the 2017-2018 season. She did win the event at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in the Emerging Elites division.

Acknowledgments should also go out to Latavia Maines of Centralia. She caught national attention during the indoor season as she was one of the top ten athletes in the Shot Put. She won the 2A state championship in the event as well as achieving a 48-1.25 outdoor personal best ranking her 13^th nationally.

Keep an eye on Erika Furbeck of Geneseo next season. The junior won the 2A title in the Long Jump with a 19-5 effort ahead of Carothers by less than two inches (19-3.25). Furbeck’s seasonal best of 19-9 (along with Carothers) places her one of the top 15 returnees heading into her senior season.

Congratulations to Imani Carothers of Brooks College Prep as the 2017 ILXCTF.com 2A Girls Field Events Athlete of the Year.