OMAHA -- Stacey Destin of Boynton Beach, Fla., cleared 1.69m/5-6.25 on
her third attempt to set a bantam girls' national record in the high
jump Thursday on day three of the 42nd USA Track & Field National Junior
Olympic Championships at Burke High School.
Two of the nation's top prep triple jumpers waged a spirited battle in
the young men's division with Arizona's Will Claye coming out on top
with a jump of 15.71m/51-6.5 to edge Omar Craddock of Texas, who bounded
15.53m/50-11.5.
The youth girls' pole vault saw Cassie Wait of Gardner, Kansas, win at
3.30m/10-10 before going on to attempt a youth national record. Alyssa
Hasslen of McMinnville, Ore., had a big day in the young women's shot
put, launching a yearly best 48-2 to take gold.
The USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships is the
largest and most visible youth athlete developmental program in the
world. The Junior Olympics feature the following age divisions: Bantam
(10 and under), Midget (11-12), Youth (13-14), Intermediate (15-16) and
Young Men/Women (17-18). Entry for this championship is based on athlete
performances at preliminary, Association, and Regional levels of the
2008 USATF Junior Olympic Program.
In the young men's shot put, Corey Jones of Boonville, Mo., took the
measure of 2007 World Youth team member Sean Tabor of Oklahoma and 2008
World Junior team member Daniel Block of Illinois, tossing the 12-pound
ball 19.35m/63-6. Derek Eager of the Seatown Express was golden in the
intermediate boys' javelin with a throw of 55.49m/182-1.
Daverior Hawkins of the West Coast Gazelles was a convincing winner in
the intermediate boys' long jump, spanning 7.01m/23-0, while Andrea
Geubelle of the Flying AJ's had a wind-aided 6.00m/19-8.25 to win the
young women's division.
California's Cierra Brewer of the Mission Valley TC was the best of
three top performers in the intermediate girls' triple jump, claiming
victory with a wind-aided 12.63m/41-5.25 to top Texans Alexius Hightower
and A'Lexus Brannon.
In the day's first running final, Michael Williams of Peak Distance took
gold in the young men's 5000-meters, clocking 15:10.31. Wisconsin's Mike
Clark outkicked Nathan Williams of Las Vegas to win the intermediate
boys' 3000 in 9:00.74.
Josh Brewer of the El Paso Cougars won the midget boys' discus with a
toss of 34.20m/112-2, and Khayla Dawson of the Charlotte Fliers won the
bantam girls' shot at 8.74m/28-8.25. In the youth boys' pole vault,
Parker Brush cleared 3.75m/12-3.5 to win.
Other field event winners included Jaylon Holt of Track Xplosion in the
youth boys' high jump at 1.75m/5-8.75; Brett Sharp of the East Texas TC
in the intermediate boys' discus at 48.65/159-7; and Armand Shyne of the
3M TC in themidget boys' javelin with a throw of 41.87/137-4. Cha'Mia
Rothwell of the Durham Striders cleared 1.30m/4-3.25 to win the bantam
girls' high jump, and Erica Brand won the intermediate girls' discus at
40.68/133-5. Rosha Harris threw 35.21/115-6 to capture gold in the youth
girls' javelin.
Competition resumes Friday at 8 a.m. with prelims in the 100 meters. For
more information and complete results, visit USATF.org.
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