BRINKLEY WINS JUNIOR TITLE; CARTER UNAB LE TO START

June 22, 2013



BRINKLEY WINS JUNIOR TITLE; CARTER UNAB LE TO START



Stanford freshman wins 1,500



DES MOINES, Iowa – Stanford freshman Justin Brinkley won the junior men’s 1,500 meters at the U.S. Championships on Saturday, but NCAA champion hurdler Kori Carter was unable to take the starting line in her senior women’s 400 hurdles semifinal.



An illness prevented Carter, a Stanford junior now representing Nike, from competing and ended her hopes of making the U.S. team for the IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Russia.



Six current, former, or future Stanford athletes took part in the concurrent junior and senior championships Saturday, with Brinkley providing the singular highlight by winning in 3:46.64, with Stanford recruit Sean McGorty fourth (3:49.26) and current Cardinal freshman Will Drinkwater seventh (3:53.73).



“This has been the end goal for the whole season,” Brinkley said. “It has been my goal since September when I got to school for camp.”



McGorty took the initial lead with Brinkley tucked in behind. North Carolina State’s Craig Engels had the lead on the final turn, but Brinkley kicked hard and won the sprint to the finish line, raising his arms in triumph.



“I knew, based on the training I have done, that I would be able to close fast,” Brinkley said. “I just relied on that. With about 80 meters to go, I knew that I had that last move.”



Brinkley, from Kingwood, Texas, had advanced to the NCAA West Prelims in his rookie season.


In the senior men’s 1,500 final, Russell Brown ’07 led for much of the race, but was unable to maintain position on the final lap, finishing ninth in 3:46.94. Matt Centrowitz won in 3:45.17.



In the first round of the senior women’s 200, Chauntae Bayne ’06 finished second in her heat in a wind-aided 22.39 to earn an automatic spot in the semifinals.



In the junior women’s discus final, Stanford recruit Valarie Allman was fifth at 165-2.





Stanford’s Saturday competitors:



Senior nationals

MEN

1,500 final – 9, Russell Brown (class of ’07) 3:46.94.

WOMEN

200 first round – 3 (2,H4), Chauntae Bayne (class of ’06) 22.39w.



Junior nationals

MEN

1,500 final – 1, Justin Brinkley 3:46.64; 4, Sean McGorty (incoming freshman) 3:49.26; 7, Will Drinkwater 3:53.73.



WOMEN

Discus final – 5, Valarie Allman (incoming freshman) 165-2.

courtesy Stanford