Elmont boys set relay mark

If you're going to set a track record, the Millrose Games is the place to do it.

Elmont's 4x400 boys relay team ran a nation's-best 3:18.34 yesterday at the Armory in Manhattan, beating Uniondale's 2012 Millrose mark by almost four seconds.

"We have a really strong team," said Elmont's Brandon Atkins. "Even if it was close at first, we battled and we knew that we could perform and stay in the game."

Roshane Wright started for Elmont, quickly separating himself from the rest of the pack with the exception of Freeport, which nipped at their heels for the first three laps. His teammates, Atkins, Chad Barker and Ayo Abodare kept the pedal to the metal in impressive fashion. Milesplit.com ranked the effort as the best in the country.

For Elmont, this trip to the Millrose Games was all about redemption and being better than last season.

"Last year we came in second. This year, obviously, we wanted to win it," Atkins said. "It's very satisfying for me and my whole team."

In the girl's 4x400, Uniondale High School, composed of Kristina Cherrington, Crystal Green, Ashley Suffriant and Kadesha Roberts, also set a Millrose Games record, beating Massapequa's mark set last year with a time of 3:56.04.

SEE PHOTOSLI high school athletes at the Millrose Games

"We had Kadesha lead it off with a great start, Crystal and Kristina gave us a good lead and then it came to me," said Suffriant. "It was great . . . it took a lot of training but I'm so happy that we won."

Other notable Long Island performers included St. Anthony's Melissa June and Sachem North's Melissa Michels, who finished third and fourth respectively in the girls 55-dash. June crossed the finish line in 7.19 seconds while Michels finished in 7.27 seconds.

Both set personal records at the games.

"It means a lot to me because we work so hard," said June. "Now you finally get to see what you put so much work into."

"It's a very prestigious meet, I had a lot of people supporting me," said Michels. "I was just focused on a good start and I set a [personal best] so it felt good."