* Makeriah Harris won the 100mH, 100m and 400m on Saturday at the AAU West Coast Junior Olympic Games
Photo Credit: Cory Mull/MileSplit
WATCH LIVE: AAU West Coast Junior Olympic Games
"I felt like I got out pretty powerful." -- Makeriah Harris after her 100mH win on Saturday
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Track events got underway during what was a blisteringly hot Day 2 of the West Coast AAU Junior Olympic Games.
Athletes on hand at the Pearson Center facility battled stiff competition, as well as temperatures that rose to over 110 degrees. The action was halted for a two-hour delay during the afternoon session, so the competitors, officials, as well as the timing equipment could have a much needed opportunity to cool off. Also of note, the scheduled 200m semi-finals were pushed to Sunday, where they'll be contested as seeded finals.
Arguably the most impressive athlete during the first day of the running events was Makeriah Harris (above), a rising freshman at Plaquemine High School in Louisiana, who won the 100 meter hurdles in 14.42 seconds, the 100 meter dash in 12.50 and the 400m -- during the most sweltering part of the day -- in under 57 seconds.
Review below a rundown of Saturday's victorious athletes in the track events.
Boys 8-under + 9 year-olds 1,500m: It turned out to be the Victor Jaimez-Solorio show during the first track-based event of the meet. The Pacific Coast ShockWaves representative got out on the field fast and never took his foot off the gas. Jaimez-Solorio hit the bell lap at 3:35 and then poured it on over the final 400 meters. His official clocking was 4:57.28. For competitors in the 8-under division, it was Cyprian Reid who crossed the line first. The 7 year-old from the Olympia Track Club recorded a time of 5:52.85.
Boys 10, 11 & 12 year-olds combined 1,500m: Ethan Martin made the trek from Washington a successful one by picking up 1500 victory in the second race of the day. Martin, a member of the Spokane Mercury Athletics club, produced a time of 4:59.27 to separate himself from runner-up, Hunter Hurl by 9 seconds. Hurl, from the McMinnville Track club, posted a time of 5:08.61. Geremy Scott Jr. earned the victory for 10 year-olds with his mark of 5:22.30 and in the 11 year-old class, it was Isamu Rice taking the win due to his 5:50.21 effort.
Boys 13 & 14 year-olds combined 1,500m: Jason Parra, from the Long Beach Flyers Track Club emerged as the winner of his 1500 contest, which consisted of 13 and 14 year-olds. Parra held off the runner-up, Chase McCallum, as he cruised in at 4:28.66. McCallum, running unattached, clocked 4:31.75. Within the 13 year-old division, it was Pacific Coast ShockWaves representative, Taye Newman who took the win with a 4:43.01 mark.
Boys 15 to 19 year-olds combined 1,500m: Blake Bryan mounted a huge comeback over the final stretch to edge out Luca Bucciachio for first place honors. Bryan, competing unattached, crossed the line in 4:21.90 and Bucciachio, from the Silver State Striders, claimed second in 4:23.12. In the 15-16 division, it was Track Core runner, Francisco Alarez leading the way with a 4:49.52 showing.
Girls 8-under + 9 & 10 year-olds combined 1,500m: Following multiple re-starts, it turned out to be the Pacific Coast ShockWaves show once the race finally got underway. In what may go down as the closest finish in the distance events, Miranda Ibarra emerged victorious with her 5:37.52 performance. Ibarra's teammate, Ayana Jaimez-Solorio was in her immediate rear view mirror, as she took runner-up honors in 5:37.98. In the 9 year-old category, Charity Brookins broke the 6-minute standard en route to her win. The Moreno Valley Rockets representative produced an official time of 5:57.55. Ava Takeuchi was the victor for the 8-under division. The Revolution Express Track Club member polished off her run in 6:25.52.
Girls 11 & 12 year-olds combined 1,500m: For 12 year-olds, Iyndia Bey held off Nadia Mejia to net the race victory. Bey, representing the Legion of Zoom Track Club, went 5:18.87 while Mejia, from the Long Beach Flyers, crossed the line in 5:21.71. In the 11 year-old division, it was Havoc Youth Track Club runner, Kristine Bickler taking the win with a time of 5:32.19.
Girls 13 & 14 year-olds combined 1,500m: In the latter stage of this contest it was Sadie Engelhardt running against the clock, as the unattached athlete padded her lead up to 9-seconds and ultimately crossed the line with an excellent mark of 4:44.86. In the 13 year-old division, members of the Los Gatos Track Club occupied the top 3 positions. Chiara Bonomi, Kylie Hoornaert and Shea Elmore went 1-2-3 with times of 4:53.30, 4:57.49 and 5:08.05, respectively.
Girls 15 to 19 year-olds combined 1,500m: Cadence Lapp made the trip over from Colorado and wound running away from the field in final 1500 contest of the day. The Real Training Track Club member went 4:59.59 for a wire-to-wire victory. In the 15-16 year-old classification, it was Elizabeth Odom, from the Pacific Coast ShockWaves, pocketing the win with a 5:15.97 mark.
Boys 8-under 400m: Cyprian Reid collected his second victory of the day in the opening 400 section. Reid, who won the 1500 earlier in the morning, produced a time of 1:12.75 to secure his first place finish.
Boys 9 year-olds 400m: With a late push to overtake the leader, it was Victor Jaimez-Solorio who captured his second triumph of the day. Jaimez-Solorio, who ran away with the 1500 in the day's opening race, traversed 1 lap at the Pearson Center in 1:06.04.
Boys 10 year-olds 400m: Geremy Scott Jr. complemented his 1500 win from earlier in the day with a 1st place showing in the quarter-mile. Scott Jr. went 1:12.50 to outpace his opposition.
Boys 11 year-olds 400m: Brooklyn Ross, from the Long Beach Sprinters, produced a mark of 1:01.27 to secure the Section 1 and overall event win.
Boys 12 year-olds 400m: Jae'Ron Harris eclipsed the 1 minute benchmark en route to his 1st place showing. The member of Imani Speed City went 59.58, officially.
Boys 13 year-olds 400m: Jarrius Hill, representing the Pacific Coast ShockWaves, produced a time of 57.66 on his way to crossing the line first.
Boys 14 year-olds 400m: West Express Elite representative, Christopher Adams III dropped a 53.92 on his way to winning the 400 contest for 14 year-olds.
Boys 15-16 year-olds 400m: Jace Woodrow, running unattached, pocketed the victory for 15-16 year-olds with a 54.01 clocking.
Boys 17-18 year-olds 400m: In men's competition for 17-18 year-olds, both Ian Jackson and Alvin Green III eclipsed the 50 second standard. Jackson led the way with a mark of 49.88 and Green III was close behind due to his 49.96 effort.
Girls 8-under 400m: Black Lightning Track Club representative, Jasmine Wilson earned the win 400 win for the 8-under division. Wilson, competing in Section 1, put a mark of 1:14.89 on the board.
Girls 9 year-olds 400m: Ayris Hutson, from the Xfactor Club, went 1:10.55 on her way to taking the title in the 9 year-old division.
Girls 10 year-olds 400m: Nia Faulknor from the So Cal Running Cougars club impressed in the Section 1 for the 10 year-old division. She put a 1:02.91 clocking on the board to lead the way.
Girls 11 year-olds 400m: In a time of 1:04.38 Alaya Graves-Hogains, from the Black Lightning Track Club, took the win.
Girls 12 year-olds 400m: Justine Wilson closed strong on her way to finishing just over the 1 minute barrier, which won her the 400 for 12 year-olds. Wilson's official mark was 1:01.52.
Girls 13 year-olds 400m: Ruby Ford, from Solano Elite Track Club, running second for the majority of the race, but put forth a late charge to edge Maya Woolforde for the win. Ford's time was 58.33, while Woolforde put forth a 59.16 effort for second in the standings.
Girls 14 year-olds 400m: Makeriah Harris dropped an impressive 56.53 mark on her way to winning the 400 for 14 year-olds.
Girls 15-16 year-olds 400m: Naomi Johnson, competing as an unattached athlete, produced a time of 56.79 seconds to take the win.
Girls 17-18 year-olds 400m: In a tightly contested battle between Taejha Badal and Emma Pollak, where both athletes dipped under 58 seconds, it was Badal earning a narrow victory in 57.36. Pollak was very close behind with a mark of 57.39.
Girls combined ages 1,500m Race Walk:
- 1st Place: Roxanne Rivera / Pacific Coast ShockWaves ~ 11:33.49
- 2nd Place: Carolyn Scott / Woodland Presbyterian ~ 13:11.14
Mixed Gender / Mixed Age-Groups 4x800m Relay:
- Pacific Coast ShockWave Boys 'A' ~ 9:54.95
- Los Gatos Track Club Girls 'A' ~ 10:05.38
- Pacific Coast ShockWave Girls ~ 11:03.29
- Los Gatos Track Club Girls 'B' ~ 11:11.58
- Pacific Coast ShockWave Boys 'B' ~ 11:21.07
Comeback of the Day
(Blake Bryan pours it on late to win the 1500 in the 17-18 Division)
What's Next?
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An action packed Day 3 at the West Coast AAU Junior Olympic Games awaits. The meet will wrap up by crowning winners in the 3,000m Run 3,000m Race Walk, 100m, 200m 800m, 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay, plus all hurdles events.
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* Makeriah Harris won the 100mH, 100m and 400m on Saturday at the AAU West Coast Junior Olympic Games
Photo Credit: Cory Mull/MileSplit