BALTIMORE,Md- Other athletes were not the only thing competitors had to battle at the USA Track & Field National Junior Olympic Championships Thursday as temperatures soared well over 100 degrees as competition continued at W.A.C. Hughes Stadium on the campus of Morgan State University.
An additional national record was discovered to be broken late Wednesday night. Kimora Daniel (Peak Performance) threw 18.55m/60-10 in the Sub-Bantam Girls javelin to capture the crown and the record. Daniel broke Daia Hansford’s record of 18.13m/59-5 set at last year’s Junior Olympic meet. Daniel threw more than one meter further than her nearest competitor.
James Smith (Arizona Flight) was another javelin thrower that displayed terrific performance in the Midget Boys division. Smith launched the javelin 43.65m/143-02 in the air to capture the national championship and win by almost four meters.
While the heat climbed to more than 105 degrees on the track the competitors fought on with the goal of winning a national championship. It was a close competition in the Intermediate Girls pole vault as Meagan Gray (Lone Star Pole Vault) and Sarah Lee (Mt Pleasant Track Club) battled each other to the end. Both vaulters reached 3.50m/12-3.5 but Gray came away with the victory after reaching the height with less misses.
The competition was even closer in the Youth Boys high jump with three competitors tying on height. Kenton Davis (Peak Performance), Zachary Glowacki (Lake Erie) and Justice Summerset (Tucson Elite Athletic Club) each jumped 1.85m/6-0.75 to put themselves in contention for the title. Though the competition was fierce Davis ultimately took home first with the least amount of misses. Glowacki was second and Summerset was third.
Sidgie Greene (Metropolis Track Club) had a noteworthy performance in the Young Men 2,000m steeplechase. In the afternoon heat, Greene instantly ran to the front of the pack running a winning time of 6:13.77. In the Bantam Boys high jump Chase Drewery (FASST Track) won by more than two feet when he leaped 1.40m/4-07.00. Drewery was the high jump and long jump Bantam Boys champion at this year’s Youth Outdoor Championships in Texas.
Additional winners from yesterday’s events include:
Sub-Bantam Girls Javelin: Kimora Daniel (18.55mN/60-10)
Young Women 4x800m Relay: Seatown Express TC (9:31.68)
Young Men 4x800m Relay: Glenarden TC (7:46.97)
Winners from today’s events include:
Midget Girls 4x800m Relay: Valley United TC (10:09.87)
Midget Boys 4x800m Relay: Las Vegas Blazin Onez (9:42.29)
Youth Girls 4x800m Relay: Oak Hill Racing (9:46.17)
Youth Boys 4x800m Relay: Track Houston Youth TC (8:33.11)
Young Women Long Jump: MaShayla Kirksy (5.94m/19-6.00)
Youth Girls Triple Jump: Alexis Salopek (10.95m/35-11.25)
Bantam Boys High Jump: Chase Drewery (1.40m/4-7.00)
Youth Girls Shot Put: Khayla Dawson (14.15m/46-5.25)
Youth Boys Discus: Luke Leonnig (54.28m/178-01)
Midget Girls Javelin: Destinee Henry-Johnson (34.38m/112-09)
Intermediate Girls Pole Vault: Meagan Gray (3.75m/12-3.50)
Intermediate Boys Shot Put: Myquon Stout (16.89m/55-5.00)
Young Men Shot Put: Ryan Donnahoe (18.27m/59-11.25)
Intermediate Girls 2,000m Steeplechase: Alexandra Cameron (7:41.71)
Young Women 2,000m Steeplechase: Julianna Vanderhout (7:31.82)
Youth Boys High Jump: Kenton Davis (1.85m/6-00.75)
Young Women Discus: Tera Novy (47.77m/156-09)
Midget Boys Javelin: James Smith (43.65m/143-02)
Intermediate Boys 2,000m Steeplechase: Ben Freed (6:24.71)
Young Men 2,000m Steeplechase: Sidgie Greene (6:13.77)
Intermediate Girls Triple Jump: Felicienne Axel 12.04m/39-06.00)
Competition will resume Friday beginning at 8 a.m. (Eastern) with the Intermediate Boys 3000m.