WM runner Bradford signs with Garden State College

WM runner Bradford signs with Garden State College

The former Blue Devil track star holds a personal best 2: 04 in the 800- meter

WM School District It took only one look at Tyla Bradford to convince the Garden (Kansas) State College track and field program to scoop up the West Memphis Blue Devil. Bradford signed last week with the junior college.

Bradford was the do-it-all runner for LaFair Hale’s Blue Devil track squad this spring as he stood out in the 800 meters, the 4x800meter relay, the 1,600 meters, the 3,200 meters and he was a star on the Blue Devil cross country team.

Bradford’s personal best in the 800 is 2:04, his personal record in the 3,200 meters is 9:12 and his PR in the 1,600 meters is 4:59. He said his best event is the 800 meters. The Garden State school record in the 800 is two-minutes flat, a record that Bradford said would be his next year.

“My first track meet I plan to beat it,” he said, flatly.

Bradford played some baseball as a Blue Devil, but he gave it up early this spring to concentrate on track and field.

“I’ve been wanting to do track ever since I got to the high school, but I’ve always had a love for baseball,” he said. “I had to let (baseball) go because I felt it was my best option to go to college on a scholarship.”

Bradford said he owed his endurance in competing in so many events to running in downtown Memphis.

“I run everyday, even in the offseason,” he said.

“My (assistant) coach Arthur Hargrove takes me to Mud Island sometimes because there are some hills over there and I just run a lot of hills.”

By Billy Woods