Allgood sets javelin record on last day of
Junior Olympics
WICHITA, KAN. - Vegas Valley's Avionne Allgood, the national high school record holder in the javelin, set a new record in the young women's javelin throw as competition wrapped up at the USATF National Junior Olympics Championships.
Allgood's toss of 52.30m/171-7 bettered Sarah Malone's 12-year-old record by four meters.
Last year, she came just two centimeters short of improving the age group benchmark at the National Junior Olympics meet.
"It was pretty cool," Allgood said. "It was like, finally."
Allgood had some troubles in the preliminary round, only managing a 47 meter throw, before smashing the record on her first attempt in finals.
"I was trying new things with my technique [in prelims]," she said.
With the national high school and young women's records under her belt, Allgood has even loftier goals for her senior season.
"I want to break the American record," Allgood said.
Krah earns third gold
Marcus Krah of the Durham Striders claimed his third title of the meet with a victory in the youth boys' 100m hurdles. Krah, who ran a personal best time of 13.29, set a national youth record in the triple jump and won the long jump as well.
"It was great," Krah said. "I had a great start. Went over the hurdles kind of clean, felt good. The third or fourth hurdle, I kind of came over a little high and tried to get back with my rhythm."
Although Krah has been competing in the horizontal jumps for a while now, the hurdles are a more recent addition.
"I just started hurdles this year," he said. "At practice we do hurdles, everyone. My coach told me to try training with the hurdle group because he was like you're going over the hurdles like everyone else is, so you should probably see what you can do."
Krah took quickly to the event, and it is rapidly becoming one of his signature events.
"It's kind of coming up on the triple and the long," Krah said "It might be my favorite."
McDonald barely misses record
Tyson Mcdonald of Speed City Track Club blazed a 12.76 in the bantam boys' 100m to set a personal best. He missed the national record for his age group by five hundredths of a second.
"[The record] was my goal," Mcdonald said. "I knew I had to have a good get-out and stay focused. At the 50m mark, I knew I was going to PR.
Mcdonald shocked even himself with his winning time.
"I was surprised a lot because my PR was a 12.9," he said.
Mcdonald, who just turned 10, hopes to keep breaking records in the future.
"I want to go to the Olympics and break some world records," Mcdonald said.
Gregory kicks for the win
Lauren Gregory, who represents Fort Collins Track Club, sprinted to the finish in the midget girls' 1,500m to collect her first gold medal of the meet. Gregory's passed Sophia Cantine down the homestretch to finish in a time of 4:58.88.
"My plan was stay with the lead people, and hopefully if everything turned out right, out-kick them at the last 100m and 200m," Gregory said. "At the end, I couldn't even think about it. I just wanted to win."
In Saturday's 3,000m contest, Gregory took second in a close race with winner Julia Bounds.
"I'm so happy, it's hard to describe because I really wanted to catch up to Julia yesterday and at least like photo-finish," she said. "But to come back [and win this race], it feels so good."
For Gregory, the 1,500m victory was a redemption of sorts.
"I've taken either second or third for the past like three national meets," Gregory said. "To actually take for the second time ever feels great."
Bailey takes home 400m gold
Dallas Gold's Aldrich Bailey Jr., who competed this summer for Team USA at the IAAF World Youth Championships, cruised to victory in the young men's 400m. Bailey ran a time of 46.53 to finish up a successful junior season on the track.
"I wanted to go 45, but I had a groin injury at the end of practice, and I've been struggling since," Bailey said. "I tried to get out and start lifting my knees, but I felt like it was going to pull. I'm done for the season now, so I'm just going to rest up."
Although Bailey wasn't able to break the into the 46-second-barrier, he's still happy to walk away with the win.
"I know I could go a lot faster," he said. "But I thank God for the win, and I'm happy I finished my season."
Other notable performances
Another national record fell in the youth girls' 4x400m race. The Rate Of Motion Elite Track Club team of youth girls' 400m champion Aliyah Abrams, Serenity Douglas, Venida Fagan and Alexandria Fuller clocked a 3:43.05. Their time bettered the previous record of 3:45.90 set in 1993 by SoCal Sports Club.
The Speed City Track Club also had a national record-setting performance with its time in the bantam boys' 4x400m. The relay team, which was highlighted by triathlon champion Jalen Johnson and 100m winner Tyson Mcdonald, as well as Dorien Mars and Joshua Wilcox, finished in 4:10.69. Their time bettered the previous record, which was also held by Speed City, by a little under a second.
Jasmyne Graham of Quiet Fire completed a successful double victory with wins in both the youth girls' 100m and 200m hurdles. Graham, who holds the national age group record in the 200m hurdles, ran a 14.04 in the 100m hurdles and a 27.78 in the 200m hurdles to close out a successful day of competition at Junior Olympics.
Other event winners from today's competition include the following:
-Jonathan Jones, Carrollton Track Team-young men's 110m hurdles (13.69)
-Isaiah Moore, Durham Striders-intermediate boys' 110m hurdles (14.28)
-Miguel Bright, New Era TC-bantam boys' long jump (4.67m/15-4)
-Margaux Jones-youth girls' long jump (5.79m/19-0)
-Cameron Rice, Shreveport Mustang TC-intermediate boys' high jump (2.00m/6-6.75)
-Malik Mcmorris-youth boys' 4k shot put (16.50m/54-1.75)
-Jasmyne Graham, Quiet Fire-youth girls' 100m hurdles (14.04)
-Dior Hall, Real Training Club-intermediate girls' 100m hurdles (13.45)
-Morgan Snow-Sprint Athletics-young women's 100m hurdles (13.58)
-Zachery Ziemek, Dupage TC-young men's pole vault (4.90m/16-0.75)
-Kayla Moore, Durham Striders-midget girls' 80m hurdles (12.66)
-Marcus Howard, Colorado Flyers-midget boys' 80m hurdles (12.34)
-Kayla Davis, Track Houston-sub-bantam girls' 100m (14.35)
-Nolan Hickman, High Voltage-sub-bantam boys' 100m (13.69)
-Semira Killebrew, Indiana Storm-bantam girls' 100m (13.10)
-Lauren Williams, Quiet Fire-midget girls' 100m (12.21)
-Kurtis Cotton, Bellevue Recreation-midget boys' 100m (11.71)
-Lynna Irby, Indiana Storm-youth girls' 100m (11.99)
-Jordan Stevenson, Stealth TC-youth boys' 100m (11.10)
-Michaela Crunkleton-Wilson, Tuscon Elite-intermediate girls' 100m (11.71)
-Kendal Williams, 1st Coast TC-intermediate boys' 100m (10.65)
-Kandace Thomas, Cleveland Express-young women's 100m (11.52)
-Oliver Bradwell, Team Wichita-young men's 100m (10.24)
-Shamier Little-intermediate girls' 400m hurdles (1:00.06)
-Desmond Palmer, Pacesetters-intermediate boys' 400m hurdles (54.97)
-Tia Gamble, Texas Faces-young women's 400m hurdles (59.24)
-Leran Hutchings, Andrades Athletics TC-young men's 400m hurdles (53.00)
-Justin Collins, Speed City TC-youth boys' 200m hurdles (24.96)
-Victoria Swepson, Triangle Champions TC-sub-bantam girls' 1,500m (5:41.34)
-Paul Holyfield, Valley United TC-sub-bantam 1,500m (5:24.34)
-Kyna Robinson, Carolina Eagles TC-bantam girls' 1,500m (5:26.64)
-William Simmons, Hummingbird TC-bantam boys' 1,500m (5:05.42)
-Jallah Galimah, Forsyth Flyers-midget boys' 1,500m (4:36.82
-Christopher Madison, Zephyrs TC-youth boys' high jump (1.85m/6-0.75)
-Nia Britt, Valley United TC-youth girls' 6 lb. shot put (14.59m/47-10.5)
-Jalen Elrod, Track Houston-sub-bantam girls' 400m (1:12.38)
-Kyle Watkins, Myrtle Beach Track and Field Club-sub-bantam boys' 400m (1:08.56)
-Taylor Rainey, Umoja TC-bantam girls' 400m (1:02.43)
-Matthew Harris, Georgia Favor TC-bantam boys' 400m (59.36)
-Chyrese Patterson, Team Hurricane-midget girls' 400m (57.68)
-Ki-jana Phillips, Montbello Cheetahs TC-midget boys' 400m (54.66)
-Aliyah Abrams, Rate of Motion-youth girls' 400m (54.13)
-Jeremy Griffis, Durham Striders-youth boys' 400m (50.98)
-Cameron Pettigrew, Off TC-intermediate girls' 400m (54.89)
-Xavier Jones, Track Eastern Carolina-intermediate boys' 400m (48.22)
-Montene Speight, Gateway City-young women's 400m (53.62)
-Alexis Fuller, Evergreen Storm-youth girls' 1,500m (4:40.70)
-Philip Hall, Fayetteville Flyers-youth boys' 1,500m (4:14.96)
-Paige Peschel-intermediate girls' 1,500m (4:34.81)
-Spencer Haik, Springfield TC-intermediate boys' 1,500m (4:05.74)
-Lindsey Rakosnik-young women's 1,500m (4:38.20)
-Kevin Bennert, Track Eastern Carolina-young men's 1,500m (4:00.69)
-Track Houston-sub-bantam girls 4x400m (5:05.18)
-Track Houston-sub-bantam boys' 4x400m (4:57.60)
-Glenarden TC-bantam girls' 4x400m (4:30.07)
-Los Angeles Jets TC-midget girls 4x400m (4:06.23)
-Texas Storm TC-midget boys' 4x400m (3:55.27)
-Speed City TC-youth boys' 4x400m (3:32.21)
-Track Houston-intermediate girls' 4x400m (3:46.90)
-Track Houston-intermediate boys' 4x400m (3:18.89)
-Sean Keller, Evergreen Storm-young men's javelin throw (62.60m/205-4)
Akinyele Turner, Los Angeles Jets-youth boys' javelin throw (51.99m/170-7)
SATURDAY'S RESULTS
WICHITA, KAN. - Addyson Smith of Central Valley Track Club continued her dominance in the midget girls' throws with a victory in the shot put on day five of the USATF National Junior Olympics Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Smith's toss of 12.55m/41-2.25 was three feet farther than the second-place finisher. On Thursday, Smith topped the discus competition with her winning mark of 32.32m/106-0.
Hirsch earns first national title
Seth Hirsch of Omaha Racers cruised to victory in the midget boys' 3,000m, clocking a time of 9:55.34. At the Nebraska Association Championships, Hirsch broke the national record for his age group with a winning time of 9:34.82.
"It was hot today, and it was hard coming down the backstretch running into the wind, but I felt good," Hirsch said. "I got the record at state, so I was just trying to get the win today."
Hirsch has only been involved in distance running for a few years and with this victory, earned his first ever national title.
"My sister started cross country in high school, and I just started running with them, and I liked it," he said. "Now I just run a lot."
Looking ahead, Hirsch has lofty goals for his running career, at least at the Junior Olympics level.
"I want to break the national record in the youth when i get there, and win every year," Hirsch said.
Love nearly betters record
Durham Strider Bryce Love, who set national records in both the 100m and 200m at the Region 3 meet, opened up the National Junior Olympics successfully with a win in the youth boys' 200m. Love's time of 21.92 fell just short of his recently-set record of 21.81.
"I wanted to lower [my record] a little bit," Love said. "It felt good. I felt like I was going pretty fast towards the end, sped up. I got a bad start though."
Love is not done racing though; Sunday he will compete in the 100m and 400m as well.
"I thought we had to do semis in all of [the sprints[, so I thought I had to race nine times," he said. "So I was trying to conserve, but it turns out we don't have to."
Although Love dabbles in all the sprints, the 200m is his favorite.
"I like how [the 200m] is a mix of the 200m and the 100m," Love said. "You've got to save at some points, and just go all out at others."
Proteau keeps up winning ways
Pan American Championships competitor Rachel Proteau earned another post-season victory with her leap in the intermediate girls' high jump. Proteau of Williamette Striders cleared 1.75m/5-8.75 to claim the win, then took three attempts at a record-setting height of 1.83m/6-0, falling just short.
"My goal was definitely six feet," Proteau said. "I felt good coming in my first couple jumps. Even though I cleared, I could tell my approach was off so I nicked them. But towards the end, I felt like, 'Okay, I'm here. I can do this. I just want to go for it,'"
Entering this year, Proteau's personal best was 1.63m/5-4. Since then, she has had a break-out season, topping out at 1.80m/5-10.75 at USA Junior Outdoor Championships.
"I've been able to practice a lot more this season because the club coach I practice with is an hour and a half from my house, and I just got my license this year," she said. "Also, I've gotten stronger through weight training and volleyball, so I was able to incorporate more speed in my approach."
Proteau's sudden success has made her re-evaluate her track and field goals for the next two years.
"By the end of my senior year, my goal was originally six feet, but now I want to chase Amy Acuff's national record for high school," Proteau said.
Other event winners from today's competition include the following
-Aysha Shaheed, North County Jaguars-sub-bantam girls' long jump (3.72m/12-2.5)
-Mattherw Medill, Lincoln Jets-sub-bantam boys' long jump (3.98m/13-0.75)
-Gyle Becker, Central Valley TC-young men's high jump (2.05m/6-8.75)
-Megan Glasmann, Mercury TC-intermediate girls' javelin throw (44.14m/144-10)
-Kenneth Brinson, Throw1deep Club-youth boys' 1k discus throw (56.06m/183-11)
-Dylan Duvid-intermediate boys' pole vault (4.50m/14-9)
-Julia Bounds, Oak Hill Racing-midget girls' 3,000m (10:38.03)
-Jordyn Colter, Zoom TC-youth girls' 3,000m (10:07.16)
-Thomas Pollard-youth boys' 3,000m (9:28.69)
-Paige Peschel-intermediate girls' 3,000m (10:14.98)
-Maria Hauger-young women's 3,000m (10:09.96)
-Annika Williams, The Wings TC-bantam girls' long jump (4.38m/14-4.5)
-Cynthia Smith, Umoja TC-midget girls' long jump (5.35m/17-6.75)
-Emma Fitzgerald-youth girls' javelin throw (42.28m/138-8)
-Justin Paboojian-bantam boys 6 lb. shot put (11.14m/36-6.75)
-Nolan Vanamen, South Kitsap Track & Field Club-midget boys' 1k discus throw (37.99m/124-8)
-Dynasty Mcclennon, Track Houston-sub-bantam girls' 200m (29.48)
-Nolan Hickman, High Voltage-sub-bantam boys' 200m (27.90)
-Semira Killebrew, Indiana Storm-bantam girls' 200m (27.32)
-Askari Davis, High Voltage-bantam boys' 200m (26.53)
-Lauren Williams, Quiet Fire-midget girls' 200m (24.56)
-Kurtis Cotton, Bellevue Recreation-midget boys' 200m (23.66)
-Cheyanne Carter, Pacesetters TC-youth girls' 200m (24.12)
-Jada Martin, Sprint Athletics-intermediate girls' 200m (23.60)
-Kendal Williams, 1st Coast TC-intermediate boys' 200m (21.15)
-Destinee Gause-young women's 200m (23.50)
-Elijah Hall-Thompson, C1 Athletics-young men's 200m (20.76)
-Denham Patricelli-intermediate boys' javelin throw (58.31m/191-4)
-Courtny Wilmington, The Wings TC-sub-bantam girls' 800m (2:43.61)
-Kyle Watkins, Myrtle Beach Track & Field Club-sub-bantam boys' 800m (2:37.53)
-Taylor Rainey, Umoja TC-bantam girls' 800m (2:26.54)
-Joshua Wilcox, Speed City TC-bantam boys' 800m (2:24.72)
-Gabrielle Wilkinson, United Stars TC-midget girls' 800m (2:19.99)
-Thomas Mosley, Waukegan Invaders TC-midget boys' 800m (2:12.17)
-Amber Gore, Quiet Fire-youth girls' 800m (2:14.79)
-Philip Hall, Fayetteville Flyers-youth boys' 800m (2:00.92)
-Raevyn Rogers, The Wings TC-intermediate girls' 800m (2:12.10)
-Charles Jones, St. Louis Express-intermediate boys' 800m (1:52.62)
-Samantha Levin, Gateway City-young women's 800m (2:08.23)
-Thomas Miller, Sprint Athletics TC-young men's 800m (1:53.60)
-Track Houston-sub-bantam girls 4x100m (1:01.01)
-Glenarden TC-sub-bantam boys 4x100m (58.30)
-Legendary TC-bantam girls' 4x100m (55.46)
-Speed City TC-bantam boys 4x100m (52.17)
-Quiet Fire-midget girls' 4x100m (50.26)
-Track Houston-midget boys' 4x100m (49.60)
-Quiet Fire-youth girls' 4x100m (47.92)
-Carolina Elite Track and Field Club-youth boys' 4x100m (44.56)
-Track Houston-intermediate girls' 4x100m (46.44)
-Desoto Nitro-intermediate boys' 4x100m (41.89)
-Carolina Elite Track and Field Club-young women's 4x100m (45.52)
-C1 Athletics Stars Track-young men's 4x100m (39.97)
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