Weekend Highlights: Puskedra (UT) & Smith (NJ) win Boston miles; Davis (NC) US#2 all-time in 55H

Wayne Davis

Wayne Davis (NC) is now the U.S. #2 all-time in 55m hurdles

(Photo from MileStat.com)

** Wayne Davis (NC) hurdled to the U.S. #2 all-time mark in the 55m hurdles Saturday, running 7.08!!!

** VA Tech On-Site Updates (Brandon Miles of MileStat)

** Eastern Challenge On-Site Updates (Ben Hovis of NCRunners)

The weekend (1/25 - 1/27) started off with a bang Friday night, as Wayne Davis (NC) posted the U.S. #4 all-time mark in the 55m hurdles, running 7.12 in the prelims at the Virginia Tech Invitational.  Keeping checking back as we provide you fantastic coverage of this weekend's top invitationals.

Boys Results
- Wayne Davis (NC): Hurdles US#2 all-time with 7.08 in 55m hurdles
- Luke Puskedra (UT): Wins Reebok Boston mile in U.S.#1 4:08.77
- Dan Kwiatkowski (PA): Throws U.S.#1 in shot with a heave of 63'
- Andrew Perkins (WI): Runs 1:19.91 in season opener at WI Elite
- Bethel (VA): Earn U.S.#1 in 4x400m relay with 3:19.70 at VA Tech 
- Javell Bullard (VA): Sprints to U.S.#1 at 300m in 33.97 in VA
- Dylan Ferris (NC): Runs 1:54.74 (800m) & 4:16.04 (mile) in VA
- David Wilson (VA): Leaps 49-06 in TJ at Virginia Tech for U.S.#1
Girls Results
- Jillian Smith (NJ): Wins Reebok Boston mile in U.S. #1 4:48.83
- Chanelle Price (PA): Runs U.S.#1 in 800m with 2:07.30 in NJ 
- Eleanor Roosevelt (MD): Earn U.S.#1 in 4x4 with 3:48.54 in VA 
- Jasmin Stowers (SC): Hurdles to U.S.#4 in 55m hurdles at Eastern
- Jacinda Evans (NC): Leaps 19-01 to win LJ at Eastern Challenge
- Tasha Stanley (MD): Runs U.S.#2 in 500m with 1:12.81 at VA Tech 
- Nyosha Bryant (NC): Runs 7.10 in 55m dash in prelims at VA Tech
- Emily Vannoy (MD): Throws shot put 45-11, a U.S. top ten mark

Weekend Highlights (January 25 - 27)

Virginia Tech Invitational (VA)

Virginia Tech Inv. Meet Page

On-Site Results & Coverage by Brandon Miles (MileStat.com)

Virginia Tech Results

  On Saturday, Wayne Davis (NC) backed up his Friday night prelims performance in the 55m hurdles, where he ran the U.S. #4 all-time mark of 7.12, coming back with a 7.08 in the finals for a U.S. #2 all-time performance.  Davis was the star of the weekend at Virginia Tech and kept his strong season rolling along.

  Another U.S. #1 time came from Javell Bullard (VA) in the 300m dash, where the sprint star ran 33.97 to win by nearly half a second.  Second place Brendan Etzel (MD) ran the U.S. #2 time in the event with his effort of 34.47.  Dylan Ferris (NC) meanwhile, coming back from his 1:51 anchor leg the night before in the 4x8, won the 800m dash with a U.S. #2 time of 1:54.74, while running the third fastest time of the season in the mile with his win of 4:16.04.  Runner-up in the mile Patrick Campbell (NC) finished with a U.S. #5 time of 4:16.73.  Logan Collins (VA) also put up a U.S. top three mark in the 1000m run with his winning time of 2:30.58.

  The 4x400m relay impressed as well as any event on either side.  In the boys' 4x4 Bethel (VA) won the top boys heat with a U.S. #1 time of 3:19.70.  In the girls' relay, Maryland powerhouse Eleanor Roosevelt (MD) blazed with a U.S. #1 mark of 3:48.54, beating runner-up Osbourn Park (VA) by nearly three seconds, while Osbourn Park still running the U.S. #2 time of 3:51.44.

  In more relay results, Eleanor Roosevelt (MD) ran a U.S. #3 time in the 4x200m relay with their winning effort of 1:41.79, while runner-up West Charlotte (NC) ran the U.S. #5 time of 1:42.74.  In the boys' 4x200m relay, West Charlotte (NC) ran the U.S. #3 time with their winning mark of 1:29.65, while second place Bethel (VA) and third place Nansemond River ran U.S. #4 and U.S. #5 times of 1:29.68 - 1:29.69.  As you can see, all three teams finished within four hundreths of a second, which made it the most exciting relay event of the day.

  With big jumps coming in the triple jump Friday evening, the long jump proved to be a strong event Saturday, where boys long jump winner Kelvin Griffin (VA) lept 23-05.5, which currently ranks him second in the country.  In the boys' pole vault Scott Houston (NC) won the event with another result over sixteen feet, winning the event by over a foot in 16-01.

  Friday night kicked off the prime time invitational at Virginia Tech University, where many of the top track and field athletes assembled to test their skills.  The top performance of the evening came from Wayne Davis (NC).  The star hurdler ran the fourth fastest time ever in the 55m hurdles, running an amazing 7.12.  Perhaps the best part of his performance was that it came in the prelims, which means Saturday he has another chance to break the national record.

  The 4x800m relay highlighted Friday's team action.  Midlothian (VA) snagged the girl's relay, beating a strong field of contenders by over nine seconds, bringing home the victory in a great time of 9:30.72.  The boys' race was even more exciting with six teams between 8:01 and 8:10.  Thomas Edison (VA) won the race with 8:01.90.  While Thomas Edison's victory brough home the gold, distance superstar Dylan Ferris (NC) shocked the audience with a 1:51.9 leg to pull his East Forsyth squad to a third place finish.

  In the field events Emily Vannoy (MD) stood out.  Her 45-11 shot put performance earned her a national top ten ranking.  In the boys' events, the Virginia triple jumpers showed their strength.  David Wilson (VA) won the event with a national top five mark of 49-06.  Olu Olamigoke (VA) lept another top U.S. mark with his triple jump leap of 48-09.  Meanwhile in the distance events, Peter Dorrell (VA) ran an incredible 9:06.30 to win the 3200m run by about six seconds, which earned him a U.S. #1 ranking in the event.  Kyle Satterwhite (VA) placed second with a U.S. #2 time of 9:12.20.

Eastern High School Challenge (NC)

Eastern H.S. Challenge Meet Page

Eastern H.S. Chal. On-Site Updates by Ben Hovis (NCRunners.com) 

Eastern H.S. Challenge Results: Day 1 / Day 2

Jasmin Stowers (SC) Interview - 55m hurdles winner

  While the Virginia Tech Invitational put up over twenty U.S. top ten marks, the Eastern High School Challenge in Chapel Hill, NC was nearly as impressive this weekend.  A few athletes really stole the show with their performances, most notably Jacinda Evans (NC) and Booker Nunley (NC).  Evans lept 19-01 in the long jump, easily winning the event, and only finishing 1.75 inches off her current U.S. #2 mark.  Nunley meanwhile ran the second fastest time in the country this year in the 55m hurdles, winning his event in 7.32, only .03 ahead of runner-up Spencer Adams (NC).

  Another great race took place in the girls' 55m hurdles, where Jasmin Stowers (SC) edged out Charisse Bryant (VA) 8.01-8.04, with Stowers winning time placing her in the top five nationally in the event.  In the boys' 55m dash Marcus Rowland (SC) earned himself a top ten ranking with his winning time of 6.34 seconds.

  A few more top results came from Anthony and Andrew Hendrix of New Bern H.S. in North Carolina.  Andrew won the 1000m run, while Anthony won the 500m dash.  Both athletes are currently ranked very high in the national rankings in their respective events. 

Reebok Boston Indoor Games (MA)

Boston Indoor Games Meet Page

Boston Indoor Games Website

Reebok BIG Meet Article by Christopher Hunt (ArmoryTrack.com)

Luke Puskedra (UT) wins the Reebok Boston Indoor Games boys mile

(Photo from ArmoryTrack.com)

** Puskedra wins Reebok Boston Indoor Games elite boys high school mile in 4:08.77!!!

1 Luke Puskedra Ogden, UT 4:08.77
2 Colby Lowe Southlake, TX 4:08.99
3 Kyle Merber Dix Hills, NY 4:12.42
4 Charles White Colorado 4:13.33
5 Cory Leslie Sansusky, OH 4:13.76
6 Christopher Brown Southlake, TX 4:14.00
7 Michael Fout LaPorte, IN 4:14.70
8 Joseph Franklin Tallahassee, FL 4:14.82
9 Christopher Derrick Naperville, IN 4:14.84
10 Sintayehu Taye Ashburnham, MA 4:15.03
11 Mac Fleet University City, CA 4:28.19

 
Jillian Smith (NJ) wins the Reebok Boston Indoor Games girls mile
(Photo from ArmoryTrack.com)
** Jillian Smith (NJ) wins Reebok Boston Indoor Games elite girls high school mile in 4:48.83 !!!  

  With stacked mile fields at the Boston Indoor Games, the pressure was high on the athletes involved.  In the girls race, Jillian Smith (NJ) showed why she is considered by many as one of the top three milers in the country, winning the elite level race in 4:48.83, which is a new U.S. #1 time, and outkicked Canada's Jessica Parry down the homestretch for the win. 

1 Jillian Smith                Manahawkin, NJ         4:48.83
  2 Jessica Parry                   London, ONT, CAN       4:53.05
  3 Mary Kate Champagne          Plattsburgh, NY        4:55.57
  4 Keely Maguire                Georgetown, MA         4:56.02
  5 Bridget Dahlberg             Newton South, MA       4:58.67
  6 Sarah McCurdy                Bay Shore, NY          4:58.83
  7 Brianna Welch                Glen Head, NY          5:00.61
  8 Kristin Reese                Holmes, NY             5:00.85
  9 Nicole Benson                Peoria, IL             5:02.29
10 Tori Pennings                Warwick,NY             5:02.43
11 Caitlin Lane                 Greenwich, NY          5:06.79

TSTCA Indoor Meet #4 (PA)

TSTCA Indoor Meet #4 Meet Page

Dan Kwiatkowski (PA) throws a U.S.#1 mark in the SP in 63-00

(Photo from PennTrackXC.com)

(Report from PennTrackXC.com) Emerging shot put star Dan Kwiatkowski of Erie McDowell, hit five official throws ovewr 60', with the 5th of the series his best, a PR and US#1 63'. In the evening's opening event, the 3000, Central Cambria's Carly Seymour ran a US#12 10:14.4 after an opening mile of 5:20. Close on her heels for the first half of the race was Latrobe's Natalie Bower, who in running her first-ever 3000, went 10:33.2. In the 55's, Cambria Jones of Woodland Hills, ran 7.1, while a 6.4 was posted by Pittsburgh Central Catholic's Tristin Stagger.

Colgate Women's Games (NY)

Colgate Women's Games Meet Page

(Report from PennTrackXC.com) On Saturday in the semi-finals of the Colgate Women's Games at Pratt Institute in New York, Chanelle Price added another record run to her gathering prep legacy, taking down an 18-year-old record held by Shola Lynch. Price's 2:09.62 eclipsed the mark of 2:09.73 run by Lynch in 1986.

Wisconsin Elite Invitational (WI)

Wisconsin Elite Inv. Meet Page

Wisconsin Elite Inv. Results

  Even though the Wisconsin track and field season has yet to begin, senior Andrew Perkins (WI) earned himself a U.S. #1 mark in the 600m dash at the Wisconsin Elite Invitational, beating a field of collegiate and professional runners.  Perkins time of 1:19.91 showed Perkins' speed and that he is one of the athletes to watch in the 800m and 1600m this spring.