Keiyana Gaskin was chatting with a reporter earlier this week, talking about her long-term goals, when she mentioned she’d like to go to the Junior Olympics.

Terrell Smith, standing nearby, was quick to shoot down the idea.

“We already go to the Junior Olympics,” Smith barked. “You mean the Olympics.”

Gaskin smiled and laughed, and corrected herself. It was an easy mistake to make, especially when both might be realistic goals.

Gaskin and Smith are two of the fastest high school sprinters in Mississippi. Smith, a sophomore, clocked one of the fastest 100 meter times in the country earlier this season. Gaskin, just an eighth-grader, ran the fastest 200 meter time ever for a high schooler at Mississippi State’s Spencer Stadium-Maddox Track at last week’s Class 6A North State meet.

                                                                   

State track meet participants

Athletes from Vicksburg High and Warren Central who will compete at Saturday’s Class 6A state track meet at Pearl High School.

Vicksburg Girls

• Keiyana Gaskin (100, 200, 800 relay)

• Jasmine Washington (100 hurdles)

• TyMesha Nabors (300 hurdles, 800 relay)

• DaJah Butler (800 relay)

• Chantilly Hall (800 relay)

Vicksburg Boys

• Terrell Smith (200, long jump)

• Dannie Kimble (1,600 relay)

• Dillard Reed (1,600 relay)

• Devaunte Richardson (1,600 relay)

• Dominique Foster (1,600 relay)

Warren Central Girls

• Khadijah Qualls (100 hurdles)

• Sherry Clark (300 hurdles)

• Taylor Willis (high jump)

• Candace Wilson (long jump)

• Cretesha Kelly (triple jump)

Meet schedule

At Pearl High School

Today, 11 a.m.

Class 1A, 3A and 5A

Saturday, 10 a.m.

Class 2A, 4A and 6A

Admission: $8

                                                                   

The two Vicksburg High sprinters will try to cap a memorable season, and win what they hope are the first of several state championships, at the Class 6A state meet Saturday at Pearl High School.

“Every year Vicksburg has a fast boy and a fast girl. We always win state in something,” Smith said.

Unfortunately, Smith will not have a chance in his best event. He false-started in the 100 meters at the North State meet, was disqualified, and did not advance to the state meet. He’ll still compete in the 200 meters and long jump, but was clearly frustrated by his mistake last week.

“It was horrible. I felt devastated. I wanted three gold medals,” said Smith, who was the only runner in the North State field with a seed time under 11 seconds in the 100 meters. “I felt kind of sad. It’s a horrible feeling when you know you’re going to win the race and you get put out.”

Instead of a triple gold medal, Smith said he’ll now likely have a shot at just one. He won the 200 meters at North State with a blazing fast time of 21.69 seconds and is the favorite at state. In the long jump, however, his best is 21 feet, 10 inches. That’s more than a foot short of Clinton’s A.J. Ward, the favorite in the event.

At the North State meet, Ward jumped 22 feet, 7 inches. Smith’s best was 21 feet, 1 inch.

“I can get 22. But I can’t touch 23. I can only do so much,” Smith said.

Gaskin will compete in three events Saturday — the 100 and 200 meters, and 800 meter relay. She’ll try to build on what is already a growing legend.

The 14-year-old has set three facility records in the two years she’s been running, either with the Mississippi Heat track club or for Vicksburg High. Before she even steps foot in the halls of VHS she’ll represent the school at the biggest high school meet in the state.

Gaskin figures she’ll do better in the 200, which comes later in the meet when her nerves will be settled. She won the 200 at North State, but finished third in the 100, two-tenths of a second behind Kieyiera Shipp of Olive Branch.

Gaskin doesn’t think, however, that she’ll be intimidated by the atmosphere Saturday.

“I’ll be nervous to race juniors and seniors and all that. I’m not slow, so I really don’t think I’m going to lose. I’ve got confidence,” Gaskin said. “There’s a little more on the line. I try to get a PR (personal record) every time. I want to hit 11.9 in the 100 Saturday.”