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Uniondale's Asiel King competes in the boys 55m dash on...

Uniondale's Asiel King competes in the boys 55m dash on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018 at St. Anthony's High School. Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan

Nafessa King had a stern message for her son, Asiel, early in his freshman year at Uniondale.

“My mom said to me, ‘You can’t be a couch potato,’ ” Asiel King recalled. “ ‘Go do track like your cousin [Naisha Batson, who was also a freshman, and is a member of Uniondale’s girls team].’ ”

Mom spoke. King listened. Both King and the Uniondale boys track team are certainly glad he did.

The Knights’ junior put on a spectacular performance this past weekend at the East Coast Invitational in Providence, Rhode Island. King won the 55-meter high hurdles (7.72 seconds) and was a member of the winning shuttle relay (32.03) and the 4 x 200-relay team that finished first (1:35.00).

For his efforts, King is Newsday’s Athlete of the Week.

“I can do sprints and hurdles,” said King, who never competed in track until high school. “It’s not that I like one or the other. I enjoy them both.”

Last season, the Knights’ shuttle team just missed winning the Providence event. Teammate Dashawn Williams, who had won the event before, showed King and his teammates the ring he earned for coming in first.

“We came to get a ring this time,” King said. “That’s what made me strive even more this year.”

King has run the sixth-best time in Knights’ history in the 55-meter indoor hurdles (7.66 seconds).

He also had a trio of top-six efforts last season, including the 200-meter indoor (23.99, fifth-best). He was a member of the 4 x 110 outdoor shuttle hurdles team with an all-time best time of 1:00.73, and is fourth in the outdoor 110-meter hurdles (14.88).

King has a straightforward philosophy when it comes to track.

“I don’t like losing,” King said. “I want to get better and faster.”

King has been performing at a high level this season, according to coach Dennis Kornfield.

“He’s been doing very well,” Kornfield said. “He’s more of a meet competitor than he is at practice.”

King admits he sometimes struggles at practice.

“But once it’s down to finals I’m into it,” King said. “That alone pumps me up. I want to win the finals.”

He competed in the Nassau Conference I championships on Tuesday at St. Anthony’s. King was third in the 55-meter hurdles (7.86 seconds), and was a member of Uniondale’s winning 4 x 200-meter relay team (1:36.17).

King knows that there are bigger events in his future.

“I’ve got to start working harder than I normally do,” King said. “When there are a lot of people watching, I feel like I run faster.”

No couch potato, there.

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      Ronnie Tanner, a horse jockey in the '60s and '70s, and Kendrick Carmouche, a current jockey, spoke about the racism Black jockeys have faced. NewsdayTV's Jamie Stuart reports. Credit: Ed Murray, Jonathan Singh

      'I had to keep my mouth shut'  Ronnie Tanner, a horse jockey in the '60s and '70s, and Kendrick Carmouche, a current jockey, spoke about the racism Black jockeys have faced. NewsdayTV's Jamie Stuart reports.

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          Ronnie Tanner, a horse jockey in the '60s and '70s, and Kendrick Carmouche, a current jockey, spoke about the racism Black jockeys have faced. NewsdayTV's Jamie Stuart reports. Credit: Ed Murray, Jonathan Singh

          'I had to keep my mouth shut'  Ronnie Tanner, a horse jockey in the '60s and '70s, and Kendrick Carmouche, a current jockey, spoke about the racism Black jockeys have faced. NewsdayTV's Jamie Stuart reports.

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