General | July 30, 2017 | 20:07

James Davis leaned over the lower railings at Eastern Michigan's Rynearson Stadium while screaming encouragement and vital instructions at his daughter D'Amaie, who held a comfortable lead in the 3,000-meter racewalk.

"Too slow!" Davis screamed. "Kick it up a notch. Kick it up."

There was no need to panic.

D'Amaie led by nearly half a lap.

However, her dad, who also serves as her coach, still never wanted her to relax or for her to feel sorry for herself because of a balky back that forced her to miss the spring season.

Davis pushed D'Amaie to the final step because he is trying to push more than victory out of her. He never wants her to relax because she always races against the clock.

"The clock always wins," according to the elder Davis.

D'Amaie missed the spring cross country and racewalk season because she injured her back while dancing.

She subsequently needed time to get her timing and steps right again.

D'Amaie, though, hung tough in the heat, and won the 17-to-18-year-old girls' 3,000-meter racewalk in a time of 17:45.25, which easily topped the second-place finisher, Makenzie Ryan of Bakersville, Calif.

Ryan finished with a time of 18:48.85.

"He is always pushing me," D'Amaie said of her dad.

There will be another reason to celebrate in the Davis household when the family returns to Baltimore.

D'Amaie's younger brother Jaden finally broke the 16-minute mark, and pulled away during the final 300 meters to win the boys' 15-to-16-year-old 3,000-meter race in a time of 15:59.60.

Jake Lawson of Chester Springs, Pa., finished in second place with a time of 16:09.12.

The reward for Jaden is a steak dinner, while D'Amaie will get treated to a fish dinner.

"And we will have lots of desserts because all of this is over," D'Amaie said.

"I said (to D'Amaie), 'This is the last race you have as a high schooler. You are about to go to college,'" Davis said.

Davis added, "Leave it out there on the race track, and show everybody what I see every day. A phenomenal, phenomenal athlete. Go right to the end. Even though you have a comfortable lead, I don't want her to be comfortable. It's the same thing with life. Don't ever be comfortable. Don't just settle. Why not strive to be the best at all times. That's all I want."

D'Amaie will attend Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids on track and academic scholarships.

Jaden endured a tougher race.

He got trapped inside early, and was in a back-and-forth battle with Lawson until picking up steam at the end. It was Jaden's third national title.

D'Amaie has six titles.

"I loved his (Jaden's) race," Davis said. "I expected a tough race. I did not expect back-and-forth and back-and-forth, but I loved the competition."

On a track that is expected to yield blazing times Monday in the 100-meter dash and the 200-meter hurdles, the racewalkers stole the show Sunday.

Eduardo Uria of McAllen, Texas, defended his 17-to-18-year-old 3,000-meter title over national record holder Jordan Crawford of Douglasville, Ga.

Meanwhile, Zoi Betties, in the 15-to-16-year-old girls division, turned in one of the best performances of the day. She shaved a minute off her best time, and beat defending champion Alexandra Stennett of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., who finished third.

Emely Antuna of Pharr, Texas, finished second.

Betties won with a time of 16:06.82.