USATF Junior Olympics Previews
Monday-Tuesday HS-age events
A preview of the events Monday and Tuesday for the two oldest age groups, Young Men and Women (17-18) and Intermediate Boys and Girls (15-16). Full previews for each of these age groups coming.
17-18 Young Men
Decathlon, Hammer, 3k Racewalk
The 10-eventer could be one of the most intriguing 17-18 events at JOs, as it is expected to bring together several top multi-eventers who have not all yet clashed. Wolf Mahler, the Belton TX sr who won USA Juniors with 7,419, as well as Great Southwest (7,420) with the HS implements, will be the favorite. Lake Park IL sr and Juniors runner-up Scott Filip (Dupage TC) will look to challenge Mahler again. But World Youth Champs octathlon finalists Gabriel Moore (also 6,811 deca), the Freeport FL sr, and Columbus Academy OH jr John Lint (The Flying Js) should be in the mix, too. Finally, Memphis U. HS TN jr Harrison Williams – who scored over 7000 at Arcadia and won the New Balance Nationals Outdoor octathlon, only to be beaten in the WY Trials by Moore and Lint – is back and will also challenge for a top spot.
World Youth finalist Colin Minor, who had improved to 234-8 with the 5kg hammer in Donetsk, returns to the slightly heavier prep 12-lb. implement here and will be an underdog with his 220-10 PR. That’s because North Paulding GA sr Josh Whitener (Throw 1 Deep) is in the field with his 227-2 best. Whitener was 3rd at NBNO and 5th at Juniors. Landon Chase Carroll (Throw 1 Deep), a senior from North Cobb Christian, is another top contending 220-footer. Several others over 200 are in the field.
Domination by Barlett IL junior twins Alexander and Anthony Peters (Elgin Sharks) should be the order of the day in the 3k Racewalk. They finished 2-3 in the USA Juniors (10k), with Alexander getting outkicked by Nathaniel Roberts (not entered here). They walked the fastest two 3k times in regional qualifying, 14:02.21 and 14:11.12. Pharr TX soph Geraldo Flores (South Texas Walkers), 4th at USA Juniors and with a 14:15 3k best, should give the twins a battle – though Alexander and Anthony walked 13:18.40 and 13:45.80 for 3k indoors as well.
17-18 Young Women
Heptathlon, Hammer, 3k Racewalk
Like her USA teammates on the boys’ side, Lawrence Free State KS jr Alexa Harmon-Thomas is jumping back into the multis fray not long after her 5,200-point score at World Youths. She scored 5,184 with the prep implements and hurdle heights at Great Southwest, which will be used here. She could be pushed by Jones FL jr Stefani Kerrison (Star Athletics) with a best of 5,000 pts, Holy Names WA jr Olivia Vincent (Seatown Express) 4,992 (7th at USA Jrs), and Tumwater WA jr Brooke Feldmeier (Barron Park) 4,917, among others.
Throw 1 Deep athletes should dominate the YW hammer, including 2012 prep star Avana Story, who still is eligible for this age group. Now a North Carolina Tar Heel, Story’s prep PR of 193-3 paces the entries and she was 2nd at USA Jrs as well with 187-4. Norcross GA sr Casidy Callahan and Luella GA jr Kelli Thomas, US#2 and #3 at 184-1 and 182-1, are the next two to beat.
In the 3k racewalk, Sachem North NY jr Katie Michta (Walk USA), the US leader over 3k (15:09.7) and two other distances, is the clear favorite. There’s a handful of others in the 16:00s, including Valley Stream North NY jr Allison McConville (Walk USA) at 16:31.0 and Elgin IL jr Jennifer Lopez (Elgin Sharks) at 16:32.51.
15-16 Intermediate Boys
Decathlon, Hammer, 3k Racewalk
There are four entries above 5,000 points in the Intermediate Boys decathlon, including Ryan Chase (Barron Park St) at 5,558, Brendan Thurber-Blaser (Yaquina TC) at 5,447, Drew Lament at 5,396, and Joseph Ledo-Massey at 5,198.
The hammer could come down to a battle of Throw 1 Deep athletes. Marist GA soph Kenneth Brinson, Jr., has a 199-6 best, while North Paulding GA soph Charles aka Seth Whitener has thrown 193-0. They rank #3 and #4 among sophs on the national list. Several others with PRs over 180 will battle those two.
Omaha NE frosh Andy Vasquez has pushed himself atop the national racewalk list for his age at 14:23.11 and has more than a minute’s edge on Cameron Haught (Miami Valley TC).
15-16 Intermediate Girls
Decathlon, Hammer, 3k Racewalk
A nice handful of competitors from the World Youth Trails heptathlon will be at it again in the 15-16 Intermediate Girls 7-eventer here. They are led by Thayer Academy MA frosh Emma Fitzgerald, who improved to 4,682 for third – thanks in no small part to a monster 154-11 javelin. Roosevelt CA soph April Sutton, who excels more in the hurdles and 800, was 5th with 4,493 at the WYT (4,500 PR) and Lyndsey Lopes (Valley Vipers) 7th with 4,437.
Hammer fans will witness US#1 Sprayberry GA soph Sabrina Gaitan (Throw 1 Deep) try and improve her 192-4 PR. She was just 10th at NBNO, but improved a bunch to 3rd at USA Juniors. Valor Christian CO soph Haley Showalter, 2nd with the smaller hammer at WYT in 192-1 and with a prep best of 166-4, is the next best contender.
For the 3k racewalk, keep an eye on Edinburg TX soph Amberly Melendez, with a 16:12.19 best, and McKayla Roberts (Cornhusker Flyers) who has a 16:18.00 entry mark. Three others under 16:40 should contend, as well.
