Discus record and blazing 4x400m relays mark Day 5 at Junior Olympics
7/28/2017
LAWRENCE, Kansas -- The fifth day of USATF Hershey National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships boasted impressive field event finals and fierce competition across sprints and relays.
In the girls' 15-16 discus throw, Shelby Frank (Grand Forks, North Dakota; USATF Dakotas) of the Ragnarök Athletic Club launched a throw of 49.14m/161-2 to shatter the 2015 Junior Olympic record previously held by Josephine Schaefer at 48.11m. Frank’s mark was less than one meter off the national record.
In the only track final events of the day, boys’ 15-16 and men’s 17-18 divisions battled for podium spots in the 3000m. Stetson Moss (Idaho Falls, Idaho, USATF; Snake River), 16, went back and forth for the lead against last year’s top-ten finisher Evan Holland (Keene, New Hampshire; USATF New England). The two ran into the final lap with less than a second between them, with Stetson ultimately holding on to finish in 8:39.97 and Holland at 8:40.97.
Men’s 17-18 runners Spencer Smith (Bettendorf, Iowa; USATF Iowa) and Wesley Schlek raced side by side in perhaps the most exciting final of the day, sprinting towards the finish both with the same national title in mind. Smith reigned victorious in 8:50.08 and Schleck crossed second .02 later in 8:50.10.
In the sprints, yesterday’s national record breaker Kennedy Lightner (Little Rock, Arkansas; USATF Arkansas) once again stepped up to the plate in the boys’ 15-16 100m semi-finals. Despite a speedy time of 10.31, the wind-aided time could not be counted as a new national record. Lightner moves on to the finals on Sunday.
Payton Payne (Lanham, Maryland; USATF Potomac Valley) executed a tremendous 100m, running 12.90 in her semi-final of the girls’ 9-10 to .05 off the national age record. She’ll make another attempt at the record in Sunday’s final.
Kayla Davis (Charlotte, North Carolina; USATF North Carolina) of Run U Xpress nearly broke the girls’ 13-14 400m meet record of 53.40 with her time of 53.81. Ramiah Elliott (Indianapolis, Indiana; USATF Indiana) finished second in 54.66 and was the only other athlete to run sub-55. With Davis and Elliot in the field, Sunday’s final will be one to keep an eye on.
In the girls’ 13-14 javelin throw, Sydney Juszczyk (Florissant, Missouri; USATF Ozark) dominated the field, winning the competition by 16 feet over Hailey Romero (Fair Lawn, New Jersey; USATF New Jersey) at 43.96m/144-2. Alianna Eucker (Township of Washington, New Jersey; USATF New Jersey) finished third.
Trey Tintinger (Helena, Montana; USATF Montana) had the Rock Chalk Park crowd on their feet early in the morning jumping clean through 2.10m/6-6.75, which he cleared on his third attempt. Tintinger then raised the bar to 2.15m/7-05 to attempt a new Junior Olympic record. While he didn’t clear 2.15m, the boys’ 15-16 winner still took home top honors as this year’s champion.
Karlee Freeman (Raymond, Washington; USATF Pacific Northwest), Veronica Fraley (Raleigh, North Carolina; USATF North Carolina) and Tedreauna Britt (St. George, South Carolina; USATF South Carolina) put on a show in the women’s 17-18 as the three competitors battled back and forth for the entire competition. Each woman held the lead during one or more rounds with Freeman reigning supreme at the end. Freeman’s winning toss of 52.22m/171-4 narrowly missed the Junior Olympic record of 52.49, set back in 1982 by Cindy Johnson.
The ever-challenging 4x400m relays closed out track events for the day. Girls’ 11-12 Drive Phase Inc. - A fought hard against Afterburner’s Track - A for a first round win in 4:06.69. The youngest athletes, 8 & under, made their mark as well with winning times of 5:05.22 for the girls’ Firebirds Athletic - A and Imani Speedcity Compton - A in 4:54.34.
As the age groups increased, the times decreased. Men’s 17-18 relay team Team QUEST - A blazed through their heat in 3:13.99 to take the overall top spot, just ahead of St. Louis PALS Jaguars - A with 3:14.45.
Saturday’s events begin at 8:00 a.m. local time with more 3000m finals and several field events. Click here for a full schedule.
FRIDAY FINALS:
Boys' 3000m Run 15-16
Stenson Moss, High Five Flyers, 8:39.97
Men’s 3000m Run 17-18
Spencer Smith, Mississippi Valley Track, 8:50.08
Women’s Triple Jump 17-18
Alonie Sutton, Unattached, 12.85m/42-2
Boys' High Jump 15-16
Trey Titinger, Helena Vigilante Runners, 2.10m/6-10¾
Boys' Javelin Throw 13-14
Diego Maestas, Unattached, 49.69m/163-0
Girls' Discus Throw 15-16
Shelby Frank, Ragnarök Athletic Club, 49.14m/161-2 J
Girls' Shot Put 9-10
Elise Horne, E.O.T.O, Elite, 8.45m/27-8¾
Women’s Pole Vault 17-18
Becky Arbiv, Pole Vault Atlanta, 4.00m/13-1½
Men's Triple Jump 17-18
Jakobe’ Ford, Spokane Speed Academy, 15.74m/51-7¾
Boys' High Jump 11-12
Miles Roberts, Umoja, 1.55m/5-1
Boys' Shot Put 15-16
Kyle Atkinson Jr, 16.63m/54-6¾
Girls' Javelin Throw 13-14
Sydney Juszczyk, Ultimate Speed Academy, 43.96m/144-2
Women’s Discus Throw 17-18
Karlee Freeman, Team Evolution, 171-4
Girls' Long Jump 8 & Under
Brooklyn Lemon, East Palo Alto Greyhounds, 3.96m/13-0
Girls' Long Jump 13-14
Kaiha Gayles, High Voltage, 4.90/16-1
Kyle Levermore
Communications Intern, USATF
Ashley Mitchell
Marketing and Communications Manager, USATF
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