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Javanique Burruss earned a track and field scholarship to the University of South Carolina largely based on her abilities in the long and triple jumps.
But Burruss has made a strong push in the hurdles as of late, and that could cause the Gamecocks to rethink where her future lies, Lions coach Jerry Cutright said.
Burruss won the Group AA state title in the 100-meter hurdles last spring. And now, early this indoor season, she has registered one of the best times in the nation in the 55 hurdles (8.15 seconds).
?Any time you get down that low,? Cutright said, ?I guess it?s pretty significant.?
Burruss also qualified for finals in the nationals in the 100 hurdles in 2012. She set a state meet record last winter when she won the 55 hurdles in 8.27 seconds.
?She hadn?t developed as quickly in the hurdles as she did in those other events,? Cutright said. ?But ultimately, that could be a better event for her than the jumps. We have to wait and see how it goes. A lot of variables come into play there.?
Burruss is now nursing a quadriceps injury and is expected to return next week.
While she?s thrived in the hurdles, the long jump hasn?t gone as smoothly. She still ranks No. 1 in Group AA in the long jump, triple jump and 55 hurdles. But her best long jump this season is 18 feet, 4 inches, well short of the 20?1 mark she established as the best in the country last year.
?We?re going to get her healthy,? Cutright said, ?and then see what happens after that.?
When Burruss returns, she?ll team with Louisa standout Monica Mallory to form a 1?2 combination that Cutright hopes can boost the Lions to a successful postseason.
Mallory has qualified for state in the 55 hurdles and she won the event at the Fork Union Mini Invite on Friday with Burruss sitting out.
Cutright said a lack of depth could hurt the Lions in smaller competitions, but Burruss and Mallory should help them enjoy the larger meets when quality counts more than quantity.
?We?ve got some gaps with the girls. We?re not real strong in the distance races,? Cutright said. ?But we?ll probably be better in the bigger meets.?
?Taft Coghill Jr.
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