TIFTON — Tift County High’s Nairobi Graham will be a busy runner this week at the Class 6A state track and field championships in Carrollton. Graham qualified for the finals in three different events Saturday at sectionals held at Westlake in Atlanta.

Graham was third in the 400 in 56.35 seconds. Buford’s Olivia Harris was quickest at 53.14 seconds. Graham additionally placed fifth in the 200 in 25.16 seconds and fifth in the 300 hurdles 46.09 seconds.

“We showed up and we showed out,” said head coach J.C. Clark of Tift County’s overall performance.

Clark said Graham’s day was even more impressive as the 400 meters and 300-meter hurdles were back-to-back events. It was tough, he said.

Graham almost had the chance to qualify in four events, but the Lady Devils pulled out of the 4×400.

Jamari Johnson will compete in high jump. Johnson — along with seven others — achieved 6-2 at sectionals. Live results indicate that no competitors attempted 6-4. At the other sectional, no one made above 6 feet.

Jordan Gaskins ran the 110 hurdles in 14.94 seconds, fifth place, to make the final round. The field is especially tight for Gaskins. The state heat sheet has 13 of the 16 runners within one second in finish time.

Diamond Wallace was eighth in long jump at 17-1.25. Anthony Pace was also eighth, his in pole vault. Pace, who made 11-6, squeaks in over teammate Jaxson Hughes, who cleared 10-6 to finish ninth. Clark believes Hughes will be going to Carrollton, too, as he had heard one of the other qualifiers is dropping out.

The Blue Devils were seventh in the 4×100 relay. The combination of Shurrod Rich, Dezmond McWhorter, Ario Wilson and Marshall Howard ran in 42.46 seconds. Clark does not remember any TCHS team making the state finals in that event.

Even with state, this season may not be over. “If you make your state meet, you get to be in the Adidas Nationals,” he said.