Mighty Hercules continues to smash Fleetwood sprint and jump records
By Julie Pelchar Cohen — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent
A gold medal always tells a story.
The tale of a title for Chanel Hercules is one of sheer surprise.
Fleetwood’s current track and field queen added a chapter to her reign last spring with an unanticipated county gold in the 300 hurdles.
A sprints and jumps specialist, Hercules was a newcomer to hurdling when she arrived at the county-championship Firing Meet.
“Everyone at the line was freaking out,” Hercules said of the start to that Firing final. “I was cool as ever. This wasn’t even my event. I’m just doing this to do it.
“The next thing I know I was being hugged and pictures were being taken. I’ll never forget the feeling.”
With only two 300 hurdles races under her belt – she debuted in the event only two weeks prior to the county championship – Hercules shattered a school record that day with a 46.45.
Her versatility was on display for the county to enjoy.
“It was Chanel being the freak athlete that she is,” said Fleetwood coach Steve Zeller. “That was probably the top one or two moments in my coaching career. It was just incredible.”
Hercules admitted that her arrival at the 300 hurdles starting line was born from avoidance. When her coaches put Hercules in the lineup for the 400 at a late-season dual meet, Hercules bargained.
Hercules specializes in the 100, 200 and long jump and anchors the 400 relay.
She wanted nothing to do with the grueling 400, which is practically a distance event to a short sprinter.
“I wanted to get out of it,” Hercules said. “I told my coaches I’ll do anything else.”
Hello, 300 hurdles.
Hercules’ debut intrigued Zeller so much that he promptly slotted her for the event at the Shaner Meet, where she closed within a second of the school record that had stood since 1989.
A week later, she was a county champion.
Despite her unexpected success clearing hurdles, Hercules isn’t a sure bet to try for a second straight title at next month’s Firing.
“I keep asking her if she’s going to defend her title,” Zeller said. “She doesn’t answer. She jokes that she’s retired.”
Hercules, who recently committed to Millersville, plans to focus on making more historical marks this spring. She started her senior season eyeing school records in the 100, 200 and 4×1.
She has already altered the books in two events and is quickly wearing away an eraser along the way.
Hercules broke the 100 record three times last week, dipping to 12.34 at the Sterling Hoffman Invitational.
She and teammates Ava Sallee, Gigi Gonzalez and Jadelyn Eichert have cracked the relay mark twice this spring. Their best is a 49.45.
“I have nothing but high hopes for this relay team,” Hercules said.
As far as grabbing another individual county title, Hercules expects to contend in both sprints and the long jump, where she’s gotten a whiff of the air surrounding 18 feet.
That’s a prestigious mark. Only 25 Pennsylvania girls reached the milestone last year. Hercules was No. 26 as she splashed down in the pit only a 1/4 inch away from that big number.
While the school’s long jump mark – it’s also the Berks County record of 18-9¾ held by former Fleetwood phenom and high jump state champion Cyre Virgo – might be out of reach, look for Hercules to further cement her special spot in Tigers history over the next six weeks.
She hopes that includes another trip to the top of the Firing medal stand.
“Winning another county title is important to me,” she said. “I’ll never forget that feeling.”
