Turner to run in Australia in July

Morgan City High School’s Ke’Aira Turner will participate in the 15th Annual Down Under Track and Field Meet in Australia in July.
Turner said she was selected to represent Louisiana in the 200-meter dash at the event, which will be held in Brisbane, Australia.
Her trip will be July 5-13.
Turner holds a personal best of 26.2 seconds in the 200-meter dash, which she set in a meet during her junior year this past season.
“That was a pretty good race,” she said last week of the race in which she set her personal record. “I didn’t die out towards the end. … I felt strong running it.”
In addition to the 200-meter dash, Turner competed in the 100-meter run this season as well as the Lady Tigers’ 4x100-meter relay and 4x200-meter relay.
She finished third at the District 7-4A meet in the 200-meter dash this year with a time of 27.5 and fifth at the Region III 4A meet in the event with a time of 26.8.
She also advanced to regionals in the 100-meter dash.
As a member of the Lady Tigers’ 4x100-meter relay and 4x200-meter relay, Turner and the Lady Tigers finished third at the district and regional meets before placing fifth in each event at the state track and field meet earlier this month.
In addition to running at the state track meet, she also ran at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Track & Field Classic this season.
Competing at those bigger events gave her a good idea of what to expect at this kind of event in Australia.
Turner, who shaved 0.2 seconds off her personal best this season in the 200-meter run, said she did more strenuous workouts with Morgan City Track and Field Coach Duriel Singleton this season.
“I feel stronger,” she said.
Turner said she took some time off since the season, but she would be working with Singleton leading up to the event.
As for her goal for the Australian event, Turner said she wants to run in the 25-second range.
For those interested in assisting Turner with her trip, tax-exempt donations can be made out to Dream Time Foundations, Inc.; P.O. Box 2144 Morgan City, LA 70381-2144.
Donations also can be made at any Whitney Bank to: KeAira Turner Benefit Account, at www.gofundme.com/SeeKeRun or by mail to P.O. Box 2144 Morgan City, LA 70381. Mailed
checks can be made out to KeAira Turner Benefit Account.
Additional reporting by www.la.milesplit.com