A champion at the metric mile

Baldwin teen wins 1,500-meter run at Junior Olympics event; another is named All-American

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For Chinira Lovick, it’s all about staying confident.

That confidence propelled the 18-year-old to a win in the women’s 1,500 meters at the 2015 AAU Junior Olympic Games at Norfolk State University in Virginia this month.

Lovick, a member of the Baldwin Blazers track club, was also a finalist in the 800 meters.

“It feels good,” said Lovick, who ran in the 17- to 18-year-old age group. “I’m excited.”

Lovick was one of 17 Blazers who qualified for the Amateur Athletic Union’s Junior Olympics. Of those, 13 were ranked in their events, including William Salmon, 15, who was named an All-American. He placed seventh in the 1,500 meters for 15- to 16-year-olds. All-Americans finish in the top eight in an event in their age group.

Last year, the Blazers had 16 qualifiers for the Junior Olympics, coach Chandel Brown said.

More than 12,000 athletes from around the country took part in the track and field events Aug. 3-8, making the event the second-largest youth track meet in the world.

For Lovick, who returned to the State University of New York at Albany last Sunday to start her sophomore year, the key to competing is keeping up her spirits. “If you tell yourself that it’s too hot, I’m tired, you’re not going to do well,” she said. “In another race, the finals for the 800, I doubted myself and I didn’t do as well.”

A member of the track team at Albany, Lovick is a four-year Blazers veteran. She ran the 1,500 in 4 minutes, 50.28 seconds. Last year she was named an All-American.

“I started running in the seventh grade, but I started getting serious about running after the ninth grade,” she said. She credits a friend’s uncle, Jason Harewood of Baldwin, with working to find her and her friends a coach.

After her sophomore year at Baldwin High School, Brown told her that the shorter sprint races were not her strong suit. “She suggested the longer races — the 1,500 and 800,” Lovick said. She also credits Brown with giving her the best advice about winning. Brown suggested she stay close behind the leader throughout the race, and then, with about 300 meters left, make her move.

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