Showalter Sets Record on Day Five of Youth Championships

6/29/2013

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Haley Showalter established a new USATF Youth age-group record in the 15-16 girls’ hammer thrower en route to claiming her second national title before rain suspended the USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Southern Illinois University on the Edwardsville campus until 8 a.m. Sunday morning.

Around 3:45 p.m. central time, an onslaught of rain interrupted the 13-14 girls’ 800m final.
Athletes, coaches and spectators were instructed to take cover shortly after the 800m runners left the track, and the championships were suspended until Sunday morning.

The nation’s top young athletes in two-year age divisions ranging from 8 and under to 17-18-year-olds are competing in Edwardsville. The USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships conclude tomorrow.

For free LIVE and on-demand coverage of the USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships, visit www.usatf.tv. USATF.tv is the home for original programming and on-demand videos of all the 2013 USATF Championships Series.

Showalter set the new American record for the 15-16 girls’ hammer when she unleashed a 48.73m/159-10 throw, breaking the previous record 47.75/156-8 held by Ashlen Veatch three years ago to the day. The record breaking throw secured Showalter’s second national championship after she won yesterday’s 15-16 girls’ discus throw.

Showalter’s performance is one of many standout performances during the fifth day of the championships that saw 42 of the days’ 58 national champions crowned before activities were suspended.

Kendal Drewery captured her second national title of the championships in the 11-12 girls’ long jump with a mark of 5.14/16-10.50. Drewery’s first national championship came in the 11-12 girls’ pentathlon on Tuesday. Shortly after winning the long jump, Drewery posted the fastest qualifying time in the 80m hurdles. Drewery will attempt to win her third national title in the hurdles on Sunday.

In the 13-14 boys’ 3,000m final, Seth Hirsch produced a performance people in Edwardsville will not soon forget. Hirsch, a 13-year-old, crossed the finish line in 9:08.41, thirty-four seconds ahead of the next competitor. His time was the second fastest of the day for all age-divisions, only behind Nicholas Stewart, the 17-18 men’s 3,000m winner. Hirsch looks to claim his second national title tomorrow in the 13-14 boys’ 1500m.

Courtney Morgan won the 13-14 boy’s discus with a throw of 41.80m/137-02, six feet past the nearest competitor. Morgan’s second title happened a day after he won the shot put.

The final 300m of the 13-14 girls’ 3000m provided intrigue, as Julia Bounds and Rylee Bowen ran side by side with 300m remaining, but in the final 100m Bounds found an extra gear to pull away for the victory. Bounds completed her final lap in 71 seconds, giving her a final time of 10:35.67.

Zahra Bryant picked up her second title in two days, when she won the 800m race in a time of 2:47.61. Bryant’s first trip to the top spot on the awards’ podium occurred yesterday in the javelin, when she let loose a 15.15m/49-08 throw.

In the closest race of the day, Aaliyah Butler edged Dynasty McClennon in the 9-10 girls’ 200m final. Butler finished in 27.95, just four hundredths of a second ahead of McClennon.

Amir Ali Patterson won the 17-18 men’s discus throw with ease when his attempt landed 60.93m/199-11, more than 22 feet past the nearest competitor. The winning throw is his new personal record, bettering his old mark by 12 feet.

Bouncing back from a heartbreaking defeat on Wednesday in the 11-12 boys’ javelin throw, Jett Kinder won the high jump with a mark of 1.45m/4-09.00 on his highest clearance.


A comprehensive list of today’s national champions is listed below:

Saturday’s national champions:

Kendal Drewery, 11-12 Girls’ Long Jump, 5.14m/16-10.50
Taryn Milton, 15-16 Girls’ Long Jump, 5.57m/18-03.25
Jazmin McCoy, 17-18 Women’s Long Jump, 5.83m/19-01.50
Aaron Tindall, 17-18 Men’s Long Jump, 6.94m/22-09.25

Jett Kinder, 11-12 Boys’ High Jump, 1.45m/4-09.00
Alexander McCord, 15-16 Boys’ High Jump, 1.90m/6-02.75

Amari Brooks, 11-12 Boys’ Shot Put, 11.39m/37-04.50
Kushaal Tadepalli, 13-14 Boys’ Shot Put, 16.80m/55-01.50
Nigel Despinasse, 15-16 Boys’ Shot Put, 16.55m/54-03.75

Cerah Moren, 13-14 Girls’ Javelin Throw, 35.44m/116-03
Karen Bulger, 17-18 Women’s Javelin Throw, 45.26m/148-06
James Beaird, 17-18 Men’s Javelin Throw, 54.03m/177-03

Courtney Morgan, 13-14 Boys’ Discus Throw, 41.80m/137-02
AmirAli Patterson, 17-18 Men’s Discus Throw, 60.93m/199-11

Deakin Volz, 15-16 Boys’ Pole Vault, 4.60m/15-01

Haley Showalter, 15-16 Girls’ Hammer, 48.73m/159-10*

Ella King, 11-12 Girls’ 3,000m, 11:00.83
David Bellefleur, 11-12 Boys’ 3,000m, 9:59.97
Julia Bounds, 13-14 Girls’ 3,000m, 10:35.67
Seth Hirsch, 13-14 Boys’ 3,000m, 9:08.41
Julia Heymach, 15-16 Girls’ 3,000m, 10:18.51
Ju-Ells McLeod, 17-18 Women’s 3,000m, 10:46.19

Shawnti Jackson, 7-8 Girls’ 200m, 31.85
Rodrick Pleasant, 7-8 Boys’ 200m, 29.84
Aaliyah Butler, 9-10 Girls’ 200m, 27.95
Julian Talley, 9-10 Boys’ 200m, 27.91
Semira Killebrew, 11-12 Girls’ 200m, 25.78
Jameson Williams, 11-12 Boys’ 200m, 25.34
Jada Laye, 13-14 Girls’ 200m, 26.15
Xavier Miller, 13-14 Boys’ 200m, 23.74
Maya Cody, 15-16 Girls’ 200m, 25.36
Ian Braxton, 15-16 Boys’ 200m, 22.32
Ashley Henderson, 17-18 Women’s 200m, 24.52
Devin Putmon, 17-18 Men’s 200m, 21.56

Zahra Bryant, 7-8 Girls’ 800m, 2:47.61
Rodrick Pleasant, 7-8 Boys’ 800m, 29.84
Jalen Elrod, 9-10 Girls’ 800m, 2:31.50
Isaac White, 9-10 Boys’ 800m, 2:23.47
Zuri Reid, 11-12 Girls’ 800m, 2:26.30
Brandon Miller, 11-12 Boys’ 800m, 2:11.73


* - indicates a USATF Youth Age Group Record


Competition will resume tomorrow with 13-14 girls’ 800m final. The remaining 800m finals will occur along with 4x100m for all the groups.

For more information on the USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships, including live results and webcast information, visit www.usatf.org.