Jacquelyn Coward (TN) leads the way in the 60m hurdles at Simplot
What a weekend it has been! Not only did we see a new U.S. record set in the girls 60m hurdles by Jacquelyn Coward, but we also saw a few new U.S. top ten all-time performances and a rush of new U.S. #1 performances for the 2008 indoor season. Read our highlights and results section to find out the top performances across the nation.
Top Boys Highlights- Markus Henderson (TX) sprints U.S.#1 at 200m in 21.37 at TX Tech- Brian Leung (NJ) runs 9:02.61 in NJ, takes over U.S.#1 at 3200m- Omar Craddock (TX) jumps U.S. #2 50-10.5 in TJ at Simplot - New Bern (NC) runs U.S. #1 in 4x8 with 7:46.8 performance in NY- Nico Weiler (CA) equals his U.S.#1 vault of 17-02 at Simplot Games- Dominik Roberts (CO) runs 47.98 at Simplot for new U.S.#1 at 400m- Luke Puskedra (UT) wins Simplot 1600m in 4:10.58 - Brandon Jarrett (NJ) runs 9:05.35 at two-mile at Pepsi (NY), U.S.#1- Peter Dorrell (VA) runs U.S.#1 at 1000m in 2:28.59 at VA Tech- Wayne Davis (NC) runs 7.17 at 55m hurdles to win at Pepsi (NY) - Mason Finley (CO) wins shot put at Simplot with 62-03 toss - Wes Wright (GA) throws 77-03 to win the Simplot weight throw Top Girls Highlights- Jacquelyn Coward (TN) sets U.S. 60m hurdles record in 8.16 in ID - Nadonnia Rodrigues (NY) runs U.S. #4 all-time at 400m in 52.83- Emily Jones (MA) runs U.S.#1 at two-mile in 10:31.82 in MA- Ashton Purvis (CA) sprints U.S.#2 in 60m dash at Simplot in 7.38, then comes back and runs a U.S.#1 at 200m in 23.54- Vashti Thomas (CA) jumps 19-10.75 in long jump in ID, a U.S.#2, then comes back and jumps new U.S.#1 in TJ at 42-08,75- Shade Weygandt (TX) clears 13-01 to win exciting vault at Simplot - Lauren Chambers (GA) wins weight throw at Simplot in 58-10.5- Patrice Gates (GA) throws soph. national record in WT at 54-00
Weekend Highlights & Results (2/14-2/17)
30th Annual Simplot Games (ID)
Official Simplot Games Website
Simplot Games Results: Thursday - Track / Thursday - Field / Friday - Track / Friday - Field / Saturday - Track / Saturday - Field
Saturday's finals were exciting across the board. All the main match-ups took place that were expected, producing some surprising results.
As expected, the girls 60m hurdles lived up to its top billing. Jacquelyn Coward (TN) beat one of the toughest fields you'll ever see, winning in a U.S. record time of 8.16. Coward beat Vashti Thomas (CA) for the victory, while eclipsing the old-U.S. record by .01. Thomas finished a strong second with a great time of 8.27, while Dahlys Marshall (CA) finished third in 8.53.
Thomas also earned a U.S. #1 mark in the triple jump Saturday, besting the field by over two and a half feet with her mark of 42-08.75. Two other great field event performances came from Omar Craddock (TX) in the boys triple jump and Nico Weiler (CA) in the pole vault. Craddock, only a junior, lept a U.S. #2 mark to win his event by over three feet in 50-10.5, becoming only the second athlete to clear the 50 mark this season. Weiler meanwhile cleared 17 feet for the second time this season, winning the vault in 17-02, equaling his U.S. #1 performance.
One of the best performances, if not the best all-around performance of the day came from sophomore Ashton Purvis (CA), who won the girls 60m and 200m dashes. Purvis ran a U.S. #2 mark at 60m in 7.38, while coming back and running a huge U.S. #1 time at 200m in 23.54. On the boys side, Dominik Roberts (CO) beat one of the strongest boys 400m fields seen this year with a winning time, and new U.S. #1, of 47.98. His winning time beat runner-up Kendall Gregory (OH), who finished second in 48.28, while Akinto Boone (NY) finished a strong third in 48.32.
In the boys and girls 1600m runs, Candace Eddy (UT) and Luke Puskedra (UT) won their respective races. Eddy crushed the girls field with a time of 4:54.57, easily gapping the field and running away to the win. Puskedra also beat the field rather easily, winning in 4:10.58 and beating the nearest finisher by 6.5 seconds.
Vashti Thomas (CA), Mason Finley (CO) and Shade Weygandt (TX) led the way in the field events. Thomas jumped a new U.S. #2 mark in the girls long jump, winning the event in 19-10.75. Mason won a stellar match-up with Wes Wright (GA) in the boys shot put. Finley threw 62-03 to Wright's 61-11, winning the event by mere inches. Weygandt meanwhile won the girls pole vault in 13-01. An expected clash with U.S. #2 Rachel Laurent (LA) was expected, but Laurent faltered early on and Weygandt maintained her U.S. #1 ranking.
All the top athletes qualified for their respective finals out of Friday's prelim track and field events. More to come tomorrow as the finals take place and numerous U.S. #1 marks should be put up.
The Simplot Games started on the right foot Thursday night as Throw One Deep (GA) athletes dominated the girls weight throw. Lauren Chambers (GA) won the competition, improving on her season PR with a winning toss of 58-10.5. Her Throw One Deep teammate Patrice Gates (GA) placed second with a toss of 54-00, setting a national class record in the process by one inch. The old mark was held by Melissa Kurzdorfer (NY) of 53-11, only set back in late-December.
On the boys side, Wes Wright (GA) won the weight throw for the second year in a row, this time throwing 77-03 and winning the event by 18-03. Wright currently ranks as the top weight thrower in the country and should challenge for the Simplot shot put title on Friday and Saturday. The runner-up in the event Thursday came from freshman Andrew Dunkleberger (GA), who threw 59-00. Dunkleberger's throw leaves him only 4-06.25 off of Wright's national freshman class record of 63-06.25.
Pepsi Hall of Fame Classic (NY)
Pepsi Hall of Fame Classic Meet Page
While many eyes glanced west this weekend towards the Simplot Games and USATF XC Nationals, the Armory once again provided some of the nation's top indoor performances of the season. This time, the Pepsi Hall of Fame Classic took grip of the Northeast, showcasing many of the top times nationally.
The top performance of the day came from Nadonnia Rodriguez (NY), who won the girls 400m dash going away, finishing with a U.S. #4 all-time mark of 52.83 Her time is also the top time in the country this season by nearly half a second.
The boys 4x800m relay highlighted the team performances. New Bern (NC) ran away to a new U.S. #1 time in the event, and a U.S. #10 all-time performance, winning the relay with a great time of 7:46.8. Coming in a close second and third were Chaminade (NY) and Kellenberg (NY) who each finished a second or less behind. Chaminade finished second in 7:47.3, while Kellenberg placed third in 7:47.8.
Two other top performances that really shined were from hurdler Wayne Davis (NC) and distance runner Brandon Jarrett (NJ). Davis ran a new Armory record in the 55m hurdles, winning his main event in 7.17. Jarrett meanwhile ran a new U.S. #1 time in the two-mile run, running 9:05.35.
Texas Tech High School Meet (TX)
Every year a few elite level sprints run onto the national stage out of Texas. One of the athletes that stands out the most this year is Markus Henderson (Lewisville, TX). Heading into the weekend, Henderson was ranked U.S. #1 at 200m with a leading time of 21.72. On Saturday, Henderson crushed that time, winning the event in a new U.S. #1 time of 21.37. Henderson also won the 55m dash in 6.41.
In the boys shot put, Hayden Baillio (Whitesboro, TX) won with a great throw of 58-08.5. Baillio won the event but not by that much, as two other throwers threw the shot at or over 56-10, making it one of the deepest shot put fields in the nation this season.
On the girls side, Brittany Shorter (Denton Guyer, TX) won the 200m and 55m dashes. In the 200m race, Shorter blazed to a big win in 25.00, while also putting up a great results in the shorter sprint with her winning time of 7.15.
Connecticut Indoor T&F Championships (CT)
Conn. Indoor T&F Champs. Meet Page
Conn. Indoor T&F Champs. Results: Boys / Girls
Meet records and big performances were everywhere to be seen Saturday at the CT Indoor T&F Championships. Matt Marriott won the 600m dash in 1:22.36 in a meet record time. Another meet record came in the boys sprint medlay, where the team from Wilbur Cross won in 3:38.13. The best performance of the day came from Danbury's Daryl Baptiste jumped a U.S. top ten mark in the long jump, winning the event in 23-06.5.
In the distance events, Danbury had a great day as well. Teammates Parker Boudreau and Willie Ahearn each won their respective events. Boudreau won the 1000m in a new meet record of 2:29.10, while Ahearn won the 1600m in a meet record time of 4:13.29. In the 3200m run, Everett Hackett continued his winning ways this indoor season, finishing first in 9:21.34, while leading three others under 9:30.
On the girls side, a handful of athlete really put up some great marks. In the 55m dash, Shelby Walton won the event in a U.S. top 20 effort, and new meet record, in 7.09. Another meet record came from Annelies Gamble at 600m, winning the event in 1:35.06, while Heather Stephens won the 3200m run in a meet record time of 10:52.78.
The top performers of the day won multiple events. Ann Marie Clarke won the 300m dash in 40.17, as well as the 55m hurdles in 8.29. However, the most impressive performance of the day came from Anna Shields. Shields scored wins in the 1000m dash and 1600m run. She set a meet record with her 2:55.81 at 1000m, while running 5:00.02 to win the 1600m.
MIAA Indoor Division Championships (MA)
MIAA Indoor Division Champs. Meet Page
MIAA Indoor Division Champs. Results: DII - Girls / DII - Boys / DIII - Boys / DIII - Girls / DIV - Boys / DIV - Girls
While the four seperate Massachusetts divisional championships took place from Friday through Sunday this weekend, each day featured its own highlights, a few of which are national attention getting.
On Saturday the DIV boys and girls championships took place. The highlight of the day came from Emily Jones' two-mile run effort. Jones held the two-mile national lead in the event, but improved upon it with her 10:31.82 effort, winning the event in meet record time and by over a minute.
In the DIII championships Saturday, Ryan Ruffing of Westborough led the way on the day with his meet record in the boys 300m run. Ruffing cruised through the field, winning the event in 35.42.
The DII championships took place on Friday, where many of the top performances in the Northeast took place. Woburn won the boys team championship, following the lead of their two meet-record setting relays. In the 4x200m relay the squad won in 1:30.94, while in the 4x400m relay the team won in 3:23.11. Another impressive performance came from Mike McPherson, who won the shot put with a great mark of 58-00.
More Highlights and Results Coming Throughout the Weekend!