CHESAPEAKE, Va.- Ask Jamiel Bowers and he'll tell you that his journey to a state track championship was a year in the making.
Bowers was the only junior in a crowd of seniors at last year's VHSL Class 6 Track and Field Championships and saw what he hoped to accomplish.
"I just said to my mom, 'you know what? I want to be better next year. I want to be state champ,'" Bowers recalled. "All throughout this year I just set myself up for greatness. I just made sure I pushed myself and put the work in."
It paid off. Bowers crossed the line first in the Class 6 110M high hurdles final in a personal best time of 14.14 seconds, claiming state gold. It followed up his 55M hurdles crown from the indoor track and field season back in February. The victory capped off a successful high school career that saw him earn five All-State honors, 10 All-Ameican accolades and a 2022 national championship in the 110M shuttle hurdles.
"It was really surreal," he said of the moment he crossed the finish line. "When I crossed the line I didn't know at first, but just being able to look over at where all my teammates and parents were standing and then people that were at the line just start cheering, it just overwhelmed me and I couldn't feel any more joy."
"We pour our blood, sweat and tears in all summer long," added Stan Holloway, Oscar Smith's head track and field coach. "It doesn't happen overnight. It's the summer training, plus the winter training, that allows us to put it all together in the spring."
Jamiel's talents don't start and end on the track. He boasts a 3.74 GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society. He hopes to continue his career in college and his mother tells us he has multiple college offers, but the champion has not decided where to attend just yet.
Winners have people watching them and Bowers understands that some of his younger teammates aspire to achieve was he has done. The senior embraces the chance to encourage those coming up behind him.
"Some guys try to tell people, 'Don't try to be like me. Try to be better than me,'" he pointed out. "I just try to be that role model that's something to be proud of."
Bowers said among the schools he's considering are Virginia Tech, Virginia State, VCU and George Mason. College and professional track and field are in his future plans and he hopes to study engineering.
The Tigers' senior will take part in the Adidas National Championship meet in Greensboro beginning on June 16.
