Local teen excels in national competition

DAVENPORT - A local 15-year-old has made significant strides in the world of track and field by helping his 4x100 meter relay team place seventh at the National Junior Olympics.

David Coriell, 15, of Davenport, is a new member of the Spokane Speed Academy and got his start running competitively for Davenport High School two years ago. "It was a lot of fun," David said. "This was my first year. My favorite part was getting close to better competition. I pushed myself and was competing at a higher level."

The event took place at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, and saw David's team secure 7th place nationally in the highly competitive 15-16 year old bracket.

David's father, Alan Coriell, explained, "David is 15 but he has to run in the 16-year-old bracket because his birthday lies where he will turn 16 this year. First, they had to get into the meets and they had the preliminaries. Their team advanced to compete in Texas at Texas A&M for the National Junior Olympics, USTAS competition. Out of that, there were 39 teams in his bracket that competed on Tuesday. The top 8 advanced into the finals on Saturday."

According to David, the competition was fierce, with the 4x100 relay being one of the most anticipated events.

David recalled. "Our first race before the finals for the 4x100 gave me a glimpse of the actual competition. I saw how driven these people were, and I want to be a part of that. We fought to get to that position."

Alan Coriell added, "The 4x100 is the most exciting race in track. The precision of the handoffs and just what it takes to not mess up makes you have to count on your teammates to make a good run. I observed a very exciting race. I was very nervous throughout the whole process. Every little thing can disqualify you."

According to Alan, David and his team performed well considering the first place team, from Huston, broek a national record for the 4x100 race with a time of 40.43.

David's mother, Joanne Coriell, expressed immense pride in her son's accomplishments.

"He has worked very hard. All summer long, they practice for 2-3 hours," she said. "He does run track for the school, and he has done very well. He has really stepped up his game."

The Coriell family has lived in Davenport for nearly 20 years, and David's achievements have brought them great pride.

David is also a well-rounded athlete, participating in basketball and football during the school year. However, his commitment to track has been particularly noteworthy.

"This was the culmination of the season. He's got all kinds of medals. He is going into sophomore year. He is in a recruiting program. His times have improved in the 100s. He PR'd this year at an 11.4 100 meter. He has gone down to an 11.4 meter run. He is a really solid member of the team," added Alan.

Looking ahead, David is excited for the upcoming football season and plans to participate in indoor track.

"I am just hoping I can improve as an athlete this year," David said. "I do a lot of workouts. I will start strength training in the weight room."

Reflecting on his journey, David expressed gratitude for his coaches, particularly Monty Soliday, who he credits with teaching him how to compete at a high level.

"He is really the one who showed me how to compete," David added. "This year's track for high school motivated me. I didn't have the year I really wanted. I ran the qualifying time to go to state but I didn't go to finals. I got a glimpse of what I could do, and I didn't want my track season to be over."