Uniondale's Chica Akazi uses Nassau state qualifying meet as tune-up for state championship

For Uniondale senior Chica Akazi, competing on a rubber track has become a treat. With the school in the process of redoing its own sprinting surface, the track and field team has been practicing on a spray-painted grass field. But, the minimal time on a proper surface hasn’t affected Akazi’s performance.

Akazi, who qualified for the state championships earlier this season by hitting an automatic-qualifying time, won the 100 hurdles in 14.36 seconds on the second and final day of the Nassau state qualifying meet Friday at Syosset High School.

She’ll compete at the state championships June 7-8 at Cicero-North Syracuse High School.

“I already knew I [qualified],” Akazi said. “But I really wanted to use this event to get more experience and get more time on the actual track.”

Uniondale coach Leigh Pollet said the original plan was for Akazi to take the race easy.

“She had already qualified, so we were just going to focus on her form,” Pollet said. “But she’s a competitor and she came to me saying she really wanted to race.”

After finishing third in the state in the 100 hurdles in 14.60 seconds last season, Akazi is looking to take the crown this time around. She hopes improvement in her speed and form can make her dream a reality.

“Winning it would be awesome,” Akazi said. “Coach and I have been focusing a lot on my form and it’s been improving my times.”

Pollet says Akazi has grown drastically as an athlete, and a person, since she joined the team as a freshman.

“As a ninth grader, she would hide from me,” Pollet said. “Now, she’s confident. I’m blessed to see these kids grow.”

After she graduates in June, Akazi will continue her track career at the University of Pennsylvania.

Elsewhere, Great Neck South junior Isabella Spagnoli won the 2,000 steeplechase in a personal-best time of 6 minutes, 57.99 seconds.

“Qualifying for states is always an amazing feeling because it is such an honor representing Section VIII,” Spagnoli said. “Getting a [personal record] along with that, it feels amazing. I’ve been dreaming of getting this PR since freshman year.”

Although Spagnoli has traveled to the state championships the past two years, she hopes this time will yield a better result.

“I haven’t done my best at states, I don’t know why but my mental focus gets really bad and I can’t seem to run well,” Spagnoli said. “I’ve been feeling a lot more confident and have really started to believe in myself. I’m hoping to do well this year.”

As Elmont senior and Clemson commit Ashley Fulton heads to her third and final state championship meet, she hopes to defend not one, but two titles.

Fulton won the 100 in 12.25 seconds and the 200 in 25.09 Friday. She’ll be defending titles in both at the state championships.

“I’m hoping to defend my title,” Fulton said. “I won the 200 my sophomore and junior season, so I’d love to go for a third.”