Story sets national record, Woodbey repeats as champion as Junior Olympics get under way

Story sets national record, Woodbey repeats as champion as Junior Olympics get under way
7/24/2012

BALTIMORE, Md. - Avana Story bettered the National Junior Olympic record in the Young Womens hammer throw while Jaiden Woodbey defended his title in the Midget Boys pentathlon as the USA Track & Field National Junior Olympic Championships kicked off at W.A.C. Hughes Stadium on the campus of Morgan State University.

On Monday Story (Throw 1 Deep Club) bettered Lauren Chambers’ hammer throw record with her winning toss of 54.30m/178-02. Chambers, also of Throw 1 Deep, initially set the record of 53.55m/175-08 at the Junior Olympics in 2009.

In a day dedicated to multi events and race walk competitions, Woodbey (California Rising Stars Track Club) shined as he pulled away from the field in winning another Midget Boys pentathlon title Tuesday with a score of 2,854 points.

Despite winning four of the five events, Woodbey still believed it took him awhile to gain momentum.

“I was kind of sluggish in the beginning but I started to pick back up toward the end,” Woodbey said. “I didn’t throw my best in the shot (put), but I just forgot about everything and focused on the high jump and that’s when I started to get better.”

With one championship under his belt Woodbey will aim to earn three more gold medals in other events during the rest of the competition. Regardless of how he performs the rest of the week, Woodbey knows what he has achieved is special.

“I have the hurdles, shot put and 4x400m relay left,” Woodbey said. “[Winning] feels great. Not many people can get gold at [the Junior Olympics] so I feel like I accomplished something this year.”

Maite Moscoso (Central Florida Track Club) also had a stunning performance, winning the Junior Olympics gold medal in the Young Women 3,000m race walk. Moscoso’s time of 14:58.77 bested her nearest competitor by over one minute. Ashton Allen (Living Waters Athletics) showed a dominating performance in the Bantam Girls Triathlon winning with 1,236 points, more than 400 points ahead of second place.

Winners through the first two days of the Junior Olympics include:
Intermediate Girls Hammer Throw: Keli Thomas (46.38m/152-02)
Young Women Hammer Throw: Avana Story (54.30m/178-02 NJO Record)
Youth Girls 3,000m Race Walk: Palacio Caitlin (15:53.19)
Youth Boys 3,000m Race Walk: Andy Vasquez (15:32.39)
Intermediate Boys Hammer Throw: Colin Minor (59.87m/196-05)
Bantam Girls 1,500m Race Walk: Camila Vicens (8:14.96)
Bantam Boys 1,500m Race Walk: Kelvin Jackson (10:19.37)
Midget Girls 1,500m Race Walk: Taylor Ewert (7:41.31)
Midget Boys 1,500m Race Walk: Jason Gomez (7:33.33)
Young Men Hammer Throw: Charlie Ionata (62.20m/203-05)
Young Men Decathlon: Scott Filip (6,727 points)
Young Women Heptathlon: Kendall Gustafson (4,812 points)
Midget Girls Pentathlon: Jada Hicks (3,041 points)
Midget Boys Pentathlon: Jaiden Woodbey (2,854 points)
Intermediate Girls Heptathlon: Shaina Burns (4,704 points)
Intermediate Girls 3,000m Race Walk: Katie Michta (16:07.06)
Young Women 3,000m Race Walk: Maite Moscoso (14:58.77)
Intermediate Boys Decathlon: John Lint (6,377 points)
Intermediate Boys 3,000m Race Walk: Alexander Peters (14:15.44)
Young Men 3,000m Race Walk: Samuel Graves (15:03.52)
Bantam Girls Triathlon: Alaina Brady (1,253 points)
Bantam Boys Triathlon: Ashton Allen (1,236 points)

Competition will resume Wednesday beginning at 8 a.m. (Eastern) with the Intermediate Boys 400m hurdles.





Emily Pritt
Communications Intern
USA Track & Field
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