Records Galore on Day Five of Junior Olympics

7/26/2013

GREENSBORO, N.C. — On seven different occasions, a national or Junior Olympic record was surpassed on the fifth day of competition at the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships on the campus of North Carolina A&T State University.

The Junior Olympic program is a series of meets progressing from preliminary, association, regional and national meets. Athletes compete in two-year age groups ranging from 8 and under to 18-years-old.

The USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships are broadcast free and live on USATF.tv. The home for original and on-demand programming for all the 2013 USATF Championship Series, youth and masters events, USATF.tv offers on-demand videos of the first two days of competition and will feature live coverage through Sunday.

Rachel Wilson (Fairfax, Va.) blazed around the track in 1:10.66 setting a national and Junior Olympic record in the preliminary round of the 7-8 girls’ 400m dash. Wilson was not the only speedy one in the event as Ke’Ayla Madison (Des Moines, Iowa), Sydney Harris (Dacula, Ga.) and Kyli Dixon (Los Angeles, Calif.) all ran under the previous Junior Olympic record of 1:11.55 from 2011.

On the boys’ side in the 7-8 age group of the 400m, Anthony Valentine (Ellicott City, Md.) etched his name in the national and Junior Olympic record books in 1:05.68. Valentine broke Thomas Williams’ record achieved at last year’s Junior Olympics.

Tia Jones (Marietta, Ga.) eclipsed her own record in the 13-14 girls’ 100m hurdles semi-finals by one-hundredth of a second in 13.63. It was her third record in as many days. Earlier in the week, Jones smashed the 200m hurdles national and Junior Olympic record in 25.34 before breaking the 100m hurdles in 13.64. Next, she will compete in the semi-finals of the 200m hurdles Saturday.

Treasure Brown (Los Angeles, Calif.) captured her second Junior Olympic title in the girls’ 7-8 age group with her mark of 6.94m/22-09.25 in the shot put. Her second attempt landed more than two feet farther than the next competitor. Earlier in the week, Brown established a new national and Junior Olympic record in the mini-javelin at 21.11m/69-03.

In the boys’ 15-16 high jump, Alexander McCord (Lititz, Pa.) squeaked out a win over Camden Coble (De Pere, Wis.). Each cleared 1.95m/6-04.75 and the win was given to McCord on fewer misses. McCord also took home gold in high jump at this year’s USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

The Los Angeles Jets 4x400m girls’ relay destroyed the record they set at the 2012 Junior Olympics in the girls’ 7-8 age group. Eleya Brown (Inglewood, Calif.), Kyli Dixon (Los Angeles, Calif.), Nia Godfrey (Los Angeles, Calif.) and Spencer Young (Los Angeles, Calif.) dashed around the track in 4:52.33 in the first round. Brown and Dixon both participated on last year's record setting team.

Darrielle McQueen (Tallahassee, Fla.) inched out a victory in the girls’ 17-18 triple jump. McQueen’s best jump of 12.47m/40-11 outdistanced the second-place finisher by less than an inch.

Tara Davis (Calabasas, Calif.) made her second trip atop of the podium after winning the girls’ 13-14 long jump. Davis soared 5.66m/18-07 for the win, a foot beyond the nearest competitor. Davis also finished first in the triple jump with a mark of 11.21m/36-09.50 on Thursday.

KeAndre Bates (El Paso, Texas) took home the 17-18 men's triple jump Junior Olympic title when he glided through the air 15.31m/50-02.75. Bates represented Team USA earlier this month at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Donetsk, Ukraine.

Friday’s Junior Olympic National Champions

Thomas Pollard (Ames, Iowa.), 15-16 Boys’ 3,000m, 8:47.42
Kyle Garcia (Forney, Texas), 17-18 Men’s 3,000m, 8:51.32

Tara Davis (Calabasas, Calif.), 13-14 Girls’ Long Jump, 5.66m/18-07
Noah Igbinoghene (Trussville, Ala.), 13-14 Boys’ Long Jump, 6.20m/20-4.25

Chase Burr (Canton, Ga.), 11-12 Boys’ High Jump, 1.55m/5-01
Alexander McCord (Lititz, Pa.), 15-16 Boys’ High Jump, 1.95m/6-04.75

Britt Krug (Lorent, Pa.), 13-14 Girls’ Javelin, 33.27m/109-02
Isaiah Bowman (Raleigh, N.C.), 13-14 Boys’ Javelin, 52.68m/172-10

Ricky Hurley (Fox River Grove, Ill.), 15-16 Boys’ Discus, 53.21m/174-07
Jeia Gilliam (Fresno, Texas) , 17-18 Women’s Discus, 45.13m/148-01

Treasure Brown (Los Angeles, Calif.), 7-8 Girls’ Shot Put, 6.94m/22-09.25
Hannah Jackson (Acworth, Ga.), 11-12, Girls’ Shot Put, 11.34m/37-02.50

Lakan Taylor (Fort Worth, Texas), 17-18 Women’s Pole Vault, 4.00m/13-01.50

Darrielle McQueen (Tallahassee, Fla.), 17-18 Women’s Triple Jump, 12.47m/40-11.00
Keandre Bates (El Paso, Texas), 17-18 Men’s Triple Jump, 15.31m/50-02.75

Competition resumes Saturday at 8 a.m. with the 11-12 girls’ 3,000m final and runs through Sunday. For more information and live results of the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships, visit www.usatf.org.