JACKSONVILLE - Oakleaf High graduate and track standout Sierra Barrera made her move in typical fashion as she revved up from 200 meters out to take second in her 800-meter heat at the Hampton Inn River City Relays held Thursday and Friday, March 19-20, at the University of North Florida.

Barrera's return to the North Florida area happened because of her transfer from University of Louisiana-Monroe to University of North Florida after solid seasons in Louisiana and also at Florida A & M University where she competed after graduation from Oakleaf High.

"I have had a series of injuries the past few years and am now getting healthy enough to start running like I used to," said Barrera, who was first in the Thursday 1500 meters with a 10th place four minutes, 50.12 seconds split, then came back a day later on Friday to run 2:14.97 for 14th overall. "I felt better in the 800 as that was my favorite event in high school."

Barrera executed what looked like her patented last race kick in her 800 preliminary heat to finish third in a three-man battle up front.

"I felt better in the 800 than the 1500," said Barrera, a junior now at UNF. "I'll keep running and get stronger."

For Orange Park High graduate Aleks Futschek, her presence at the collegiate level as a long and triple jumper for UNF was a result of hard work.

"I wasn't very good in high school and just kept at it," said Futschek, who was ironically being coached at UNF by former Middleburg High high jump standout Kaley Petrosky. Petrosky recently married Sem Sultanov, a standout distance runner at UNF and now an elite runner in the Florida road race scene with a recent top area finisher at the Gate River Run 15 KM.

Futschek was 10th in long jump at 17'-4.25" with a seventh in triple jump at 36'-6.75".

And, in the mens' 5,000 meters, former Clay High cross country standout Carlton Waiguru, running unattached but also at UNF, took 13th in 17:41.28.