LAWRENCE, Kansas -- Perfect weather and a packed house produced five national age group records on the penultimate day of USATF Hershey National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships at Rock Chalk Park.
Watch on demand video of today’s events on USATF.TV+ and cheer on USATF Future Stars live tomorrow starting at 8:00 a.m. CT.
The 800m finals boasted two Junior Olympic and national records in the 8 & Under boys’ division and the 9-10 boys’ competition. In the 8 & Under race, Grant Reynolds (Conyers, Georgia; USATF Georgia) went out hard and never looked back after passing through 400m three seconds ahead of the field. Reynolds eclipsed the previous record of 2:29.55, running 2:28.59 for a new JO and national record. Brandon Leacock (Rolesville, North Carolina; USATF North Carolina) followed Reynolds lead and used decisive front running tactics finishing in 2:18.51.
As the track events came to a close for the day, Elite Eagles - A and Track Houston Youth Track Club - A stormed down the homestretch in the 15-16 boys’ division of the 4x100m Relay. Both teams broke the previous national record of 40.90, Elite Eagles would claim the title in 40.56 and Track Houston would finish second in 40.86.
After setting a national record in the preliminary rounds of the 9-10 girls’ 200m on Thursday, Tarrianna Jackson (East Point, Georgia; USATF Georgia) was back on the track and again broke her own record of 26.32 running 26.10 in the final. In two races this week, Jackson has taken .40 off a 13-year-old record set back in 2004 by Robin Reynolds.
The track was not the only site of record breaking performances, on the high jump apron Tierra Hooker (Sicklerville, New Jersey; USATF New Jersey) set a national age group record in the 13-14 girls’ high jump. After passing on 1.75m/5-8.75, the youngster from New Jersey raised the bar to 1.77m/5-9.75 and was clear over the bar on her second attempt to best the previous record of 1.74m/5-8.5 set in 1986 by Cheryl Mills.
In near-perfect distance running weather, the 3000m finals started the day in fine fashion. The 15-16 boys’ race was won by Brayden Harris (McClure, Pennsylvania; USATF Mid-Atlantic) in 9:14.49. Harris ran a smart race by sitting in the pack while the leader changed multiple times over the first two kilometers. He made his move with 400m to go, sliding in front of Alex Mainvielle (Torrance, California, USATF Southern California) and closing hard to win by two seconds over Mainvielle, who would go on to run 9:16.81.
Kennedy Lightner (Little Rock, Arkansas; USATF Arkansas) kept the crowd on their feet as he nearly set his second national record of the week in the 15-16 boys’ 200m running 21.01.
In Saturday’s only semi-final event, Alexander Nunley (Garner, North Carolina, USATF North Carolina) of Run U Express solidified himself as the clear favorite for tomorrow’s 13-14 boys’ 100m hurdle final. The athlete, who is coached by 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Bershawn Jackson, was the only athlete to run under 13.40 and is the fastest in the field by .25 seconds.
Sunday’s events begin at 8:00 a.m. local time with final field events, followed by the 400m and 1500m. Click here for a full schedule.
SATURDAY FINALS:
For full results click here.
Girls’ 3000m 11-12
Cleo Naranjo, El Paso Panthers Running Club, 10:44:08
Boys’ 3000m 11-12
Ethan Vander Meer, Unattached, 9:52.13
Girls’ 3000m 13-14
Sophie Atkinson, Track Houston Youth Track Club, 10:02.04
Boys’ 3000m 13-14
Brayden Harris, Juniata Valley Striders, 9:14.49
Girls’ 3000m 15-16
Autumn Princ, Kansas Flyers Track Team, 10:22.55
Women’s 3000m 17-18
Malakai Holloway, Eagle Wings, 10:42.76
Girls’ 200m 8 & Under
Madison Poythress, Star Track, 29.42 N
Boys’ 200m 8 & Under
Noah Roberts, Quicksilver Track Club, 28.11
Girls’ 200m 9-10
Tarrianna Jackson, Need 4 Speed, 26.10 N
Boys’ 200m 9-10
Chandler Jordan, Jackrabbit Track & Field Club, 26.06
Girls’ 200m 11-12
JaMeesia Ford, Fayetteville Flyers, 25.30
Boys’ 200m 11-12
Myles Pendarvis, Cobra Track, 24.46
Girls’ 200m 13-14
Kayla Davis, Run U Express, 23.60
Boys’ 200m 13-14
Quaron Adams, Unattached, 22.31 + 2.1m/s
Girls’ 200m 15-16
Alexa Rossum, ATL Zoom Athletics, 23.90
Boys’ 200m 15-16
Kennedy Lightner, Fellowship of Champions, 21.01 N
Women’s 200m 17-18
Kynnedy Flannel, Track Houston Youth Track Club, 23.54
Men’s 200m 17-18
De’Shawn Ballard, Port City Track Club, 21.17
Girls’ 800m Run 8 & Under
Micah Neal, Mach 1 TC, 2:40.66
Boys’ 800m Run 8 & Under
Grant Reynolds, Mark Trail Flying Eagles, 2:28.59
Girls’ 800m Run 9-10
Aamerie Anderson, Eagles Elite, 2:27.97
Boys’ 800m Run 9-10
Brandon Leacock, Roseville Lightning, 2:18.51 J N
Girls’ 800m Run 11-12
Cha’iel Johnson, Miami Gardens Xpress, 2:15.98
Boys’ 800m Run 11-12
Tyler Hunt, Diablo Valley Track & Field, 2:10.57
Girls’ 800m Run 13-14
Michaela Rose, FIA Ambassadors, 2:12.14
Boys’ 800m Run 13-14
Malik Campbell, Track Houston Youth Track Club, 2:01.06
Girls’ 800m Run 15-16
Emoni Coleman, Need 4 Speed, 2:17.22
Boys’ 800m Run 15-16
Aden Baughman, Revolution Running & Fitness, 1:56.72
Women’s 800m Run 17-18
Jean Jenkins, Afterburners Track, 2:12.30
Men’s 800m Run 17-18
Britt Sease, Unattached, 1:53.12
Girls’ 400m Relay 8 & Under
River Cities Track - A, 1:00.97
Boys’ 400m Relay 8 & Under
Track Houston Youth Track Club - A, 57.55
Girls’ 400m Relay 9-10
Willis/Camden PAL- A, 54.50
Boys’ 400m Relay 9-10
Hallmark Track - A, 52.47
Girls’ 400m Relay 11-12
Track Houston Youth Track Club - A, 49.91
Boys’ 400m Relay 11-12
Jackrabbit Track & Field Club - A, 49.99
Girls’ 400m Relay 13-14
Track Houston Youth Track Club- A, 46.86
Boys’ 400m Relay 13-14
Desoto Nitro- A, 44.56
Girls’ 400m Relay 15-16
ATL Zoom Athletics- A , 45.61
Boys’ 400m Relay 15-16
Elite Eagles- A, 40.56 J N
Women’s 400m Relay 17-18
Team QUEST- A, 45.52
Men’s 400m Relay 17-18
Port City Track Club- A, 40.38
Boys’ Long Jump 13-14
Curtis Williams, Tallahassee Zoom Track, 6.45m/21-2
Girls’ High Jump 15-16
Annika Williams, Northwest Flyers Track, 5-8¾
Men’s Javelin Throw 17-18
Chandler Ault, 65.71m/217-7
Girls’ Discus Throw 11-12
Layla McGee, East Palo Alto Greyhounds, 32.00m/105-0
Boys’ Shot Put 9-10
Jeremiah Kelley, 9.50m/31-2
Boys’ Pole Vault 15-16
Samuel Wright, Lodi, 4.75m/15-7
Boys’ Long Jump 11-12
Kai Rednour-Bruckman, Diablo Valley Track & Field, 5.29m/17-4¼
Girls’ High Jump 13-14
Tierra Hooker, Willis/Camden PAL, 5-9¾ J N
Boys’ Shot Put 13-14
Tucker Smith, Columbus Running, 16.46m/54-0
Girls’ Javelin Throw 15-16
Jamila Otieno, Throw1deep Club, 40.49m/132-10
Girls’ Discus Throw 13-14
Results not available at this time, will update
Boys’ Long Jump 8 & Under
Noah Roberts, Quicksilver Track Club, 4.20m/13-9½
Girls’ Long Jump 11-12
Results not available at this time, will update
Ashley Mitchell
Marketing and Communications Manager, USATF
Kyle Levermore
Communications Intern, USATF
