Green wins with strong finish
Chris Green won the Hawaii's Fastest Human 100-meter dash in 11.06 seconds. Chad Miyamoto (red) was second, followed by Hudson Taylor and Hanson Ho.
It’s been some time since PFC Chris Green laced up the old track shoes, but if he keeps at it, the sky is the limit.
Green, who ran at Cherokee High School (Ga.) three years ago, still has his speed. He ran an 11.06 100-meter dash to place first in the Hawaii’s Fastest Human competition at Punahou’s Alexander Field.
Green, stationed at Schofield Barracks, used a strong finish to get past four-time champion Chad Miyamoto (11.21) and Hudson Taylor (11.22).
Green’s best time was at Cherokee, where he ran a 10.7.
"I’ve had some time to train, working around my schedule," Green said. "I didn’t get a fast start. I didn’t get a lot of time in the blocks and I struggled all week."
Despite the less-than-ideal start, he felt better around the 60-meter mark.
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"I thought, if this guy runs the same pace, I can catch him," he said.
That guy was Miyamoto.
"I can catch people from behind," Green said.
Miyamoto, 33, wasn’t at full strength due to hip, hamstring and Achilles’ tendon injuries that slowed his training. Taylor is a local community college student.
"I’m getting older," said Miyamoto, who also coaches at Roosevelt. "That’s what happens. I felt confident about my training, but I didn’t know about my finish. My strength the past couple of years was finishing strong."
Green’s top competition in this state may well be Devin Jenkins, a Kapolei junior. Jenkins was at Alexander Field yesterday competing in the Punahou Relays.
Green, who is stationed here for another three years, could face off with Jenkins in a year. Jenkins’ best time in the 100 this season is the same as Green’s: 10.7.
Of course, Green would have to get back to prime form.
"If there’s events around — I heard there’s one in May or June — I’ll keep it up," said Green, who is aspiring to make the All-Army track team.
Jenkins opted to stay out of the Hawaii’s Fastest Human race.
"I hurt my hamstrings last year," he said of the decision to have a relatively light day. "It’s good to take a rest sometimes."
The state championships are just a few weeks away.
