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Chamique Francis, a Benjamin Cardozo High School quarter-miler, is running back into form after hamstring problems, which developed at a warm-up session, shut her down early in the indoor season. Since the New Balance Games in late January, she had not run competitively until the April 9 Mayor’s Cup at the Icahn Stadium in Manhattan. She won that race in 57.29secs.
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Francis works on her start with coach Charles Weekes.
DPalmer-TrackLife photo
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Francis later told the Press that she didn’t push herself during the race and that she has started healing again and would just have to take things slowly.
Francis, who is of Jamaican roots, has a 400m PR (personal record) of 53.20secs that she registered at the 2010 New Balance National Scholastic High School Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina. She is ranked among the top three high school female 400m runners in the US.
Like many of her peers with Caribbean heritage and running for New York schools, Francis is trying to be in shape for competition at the Penn Relays later this month. Cardozo is still unsure about fielding a team in the 4x400m relay or the Distance Medley. In either case, Francis’ fitness will be a key factor in deciding whether to run either.
In the meantime, Charles Weekes, her personal coach for many years, says “though she’s doing fine, she needs more work but will be ready for Penns.”
The 18-year-old has been recruited by the University of Texas to begin in the fall.
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