USATF Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships 2008

INDIANAPOLIS - Phyllis Francis, a junior to-be at Catherine McAuley High School, has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after breaking the National Youth and Junior Olympic meet records in the intermediate girls' 800 meter run at the 2008 USA Track & Field National Junior Olympic Championships in Omaha, Nebraska. FULL PRESS RELEASE HERE

USATF JO | AAU JO | Keystone Games | Hershey's T&F Champs On Day Eight of the AAU Junior Olympics in Detroit, Michigan, Swenson's Shanae Bailey (Mt. Airy), came up big with a 3rd place in the IG 100 (11.80), and helping her 4x100 to a 2nd place and 4x400 to a 5th place. In IB, Morris Estate was 3rd in the 4x400. Herman Kirkland, Imohtep Charter, took 4th in the YM 100, going 10.74. Megan Rother, Villa Joseph Marie, was 2nd in the YW 3000 in 11:19.12. Mt. Airy took 2nd in the YM 4x100 and 6th in the YM 4x100. AJs Elite of Chester, took 6th in the YW 4x400. On Day Seven, Mt. Airy TC advanced to the finals of the IG 4x100 and YM 4x100, and took 5th in the 4sx800. AJs Elite took 2nd in the YW 4x800 in 9:27.95. In the IB 4x800, Morris Estate was 7th. Manuta Elite was 8thin the YM 4x800. On Day Six Shaniel Chambers, Chester, and Shatievah Lewis, Robeson, went 4-5 in the YW 1500 finals, running 4:58.45 and 5:02.63, respectively. Four PA relays advanced to the finals of the 4x400, includng Mt. Airy in the IG with a 3:55.07; AJ's Elite in the YW with a 3:49.91; Morris Estate in the IB at 3:23.96; and Mt. Airy in the YM with a 3:14.65. On Day Five, Methacton's Carlton Lavong (in photo courtesy of Daryl Lavong) won his 2nd AAU IG title in two days after his PA#1 triple jump, going 22-03.75 in the long jump. Gwynedd Mercy's Taylor Bumpas took 2nd in the YW 800 in 2:14.04. Council Rock North's Mike Mahoney was 5th in the YM 2000m steeplechase, going 6:30.84. Swenson's Shanae Bailey advanced from the semis of the IG 100 with her 12.03. Imhotep Charter's Herman Kirkland advanced from the semis of the YM 100, running 10.64. Methacton's Wesley Lavong took 7th in the YM shot put with a toss of 55-02.75. Cheltenham's Brittney Howell was 8th in the long jump at 17-07.25. On Day Four Methacton's Carlton Lavong won the IB triple jump with a PA#1 48-06.75. Older brother Wesley was 7th in the YM discus, throwing 159-11. In the YM 200 prelims, the Haverford School's Tom Hopkins ran 22.44 to advance. Imhotep Charter's Herman Kirkland was 7th in the YM long jump, going 22-8. Chester's Rayiana Johnson advanced in the YW 200, running 25:01. On Day Three, Swenson's Shanae Bailey advanced to the semis of the IG 100, running 12.04. Gwynedd Mercy's Taylor Bumpas advanced to the YW 800 finals with her 2:15.46. Imhotep grad Herman Kirkland (10.93) and Haverford School's Thomas Hopkins (11.12) both advanced to the next round of the YM 100. Mel Leszcynski (Methacton), was 3rd in the IG Javelin, throwing 123-09. Cheltenham's Alfred McHanley was 7th in the YM triple jump, going 46-06.75. And Christopher Booker of Philadelphia advanced in the IB 800, running 1:59.65. On Day Six of the USATF Junior Olympics in Omaha, Nebraska, Terence Lee, an Engineering & Science grad, took 4th in the YM 1500, going 4:05.23. Conrad Weiser's Lamont Fowler ran 48.56 to take 6th in the YM 400. On Day Five, Upper Dublin's Victoria Gocht, running for United Stars, won the YW 800 in 2:12.86. Lakeview's Fawn Miller was the runner-up in the IG javelin, throwing 144-9. Elyse Wilkinson, United Stars (Penn Charter), was 6th in the IG 800 in 2:16.86. On Day Four, Harold Lamour, Juventus (Engineering & Science), advanced to the finals of the IB 1500, running 4:16.22. Terence Lee, also of Juventus and E&S, ran 4:07.64 to advance in the YM 1500. Lamont Fowler, Tri-County (Conrad Weiser) and Aaron Nadolsky, Three Rivers (Altoona), advanced to the finals of the YM 400, running 48.31 and 48.88, respectively. On Day Three, Elyse Wilkinson, United Stars (Penn Charter), advanced to the final of the IG 800, running 2:17.68. Vicky Gocht, United Stars (Upper Dublin), ran 2:16.55, the top qualifier in the YW 800. The United Stars 4x400 advanced to their finals. On Day Two, Philly's United Stars Track Club captured the IG 4x800 tile, running 9:28.44. On Day One, North Allegheny's Ryan Gil took 3rd in the IB 2000m steeplechase in 6:32.22, with Altoona's Chris Fischer 6th, a little over three seconds back. Rising sophomore Angelica Peck of Blackhawk HS was 6th in the IG 2000m steeple, running 7:24.83.      

Samantha Stenzel, 2008 Paul Dunbar graduate finished 11th with a vault of 10-10 at the 2008 USATF Junior Olympics held in Omaha, Nebraska.  She will compete for the University of Kentucky next year.

Quick Striders' Brittney Waller wins national title in discus, Stowers second in young women 100 hurdles, Nelson second in 400 Palmetto Speed's Brandon Sanders arrived home from USATF Nationals with two titles. Sanders brought home the youth boys trophy in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dash events. Sanders ran 22.37 seconds in the 200 Saturday and on Sunday covered the 100 in 11.07 seconds.

The USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships are being held this week in Omaha, Nebraska. The contingency from Virginia is very small with the meet being held at a significant distance away from the state, while the USATF National JO Cross Country Championships will be held right here in Virginia next fall at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Photo by David Fleenor Liberty Christian Academy's Josh Morris clocked an outstanding time in the 2000 meter steeplechase as the rising junior placed third in the young men's division with a final time of 6:13.14. Morris improved by seven seconds from USATF regional time. His third place finish also helped earn him All-American honors. After running the steeplechase on Tuesday, Morris came back two days in the 5000 meter run and continued to excel as he ran a 16 second personal best with a fourth place effort of 15:39 for his second All-American honor of the week. Morris wrapped his weekend qualifying for the finals of the 1500 meter run with a time of 4:09.93 in his preliminary heat which would convert to his first sub 4:30 performance in the mile, but struggled in the finals as it was his fourth race of the week to finish 11th in the finals at 4:15.51. USATF National Junior Olympic Results: Intermediate Boys Results Intermediate Girls Results Young Men Results Young Women Results