Saturday - NIN Championship Weekend Coverage
Saturday NIN Results: Boys Track / Boys Field / Girls Track / Girls Field
Saturday NIN Highlights
- In the final track event of the day, Eleanor Roosevelt (MD) closed out a successful day with a win in the girls 1600m SMR. The Blazin' Raiders won by nearly two seconds, using a strong anchor leg to seal their win.
- In the final field event of the day, U.S. #2 girls triple jumper, Erin Brooks (Sr., Seton Keough, MD) lept an amazing 40-11.50, furthering her U.S. #2 marking. Brooks broke the twelve meter mark two other times, but on her last attempt, with the meet won, she soared to her new PR. Brooks only trails U.S. #1 Vashti Thomas (CA), who's lept over 42 feet this season.
Photo: Jason Pelletier (AR) clears 16-10.25, good enough to win the boys pole vault
- With fans on their feet, clapping, gasping and cheering, Jason Pelletier (Sr., Bryant, AR) wowed the crowd with his 16-10.25 pole vault clearance, good enough to win the boys event. Six seperate athletes cleared 16-06, setting up an incredible six way battle. Joe Wesley (MI) nearly cleared 16-06 on two of his attempts, but fell just short each time. This event was the highlight of the day, as the crowd watched every single attempt once athletes started reaching 16-02.
- Mountain Brook (AL) and Western Albemarle (VA) won their respective DMR's. Both teams used strong anchor legs to knock out the competition. Mountain Brook's Madeline Morgan overtook Eleanor Roosevelt (MD) with 800m to go, running 4:55 (1600), helping her team win in 11:57. Western Albemarle likewise used a strong anchor leg to win their meet, winning by six seconds in 10:23.73.
Photo: Ryann Krais (PA) on top of the pentathlon awards stand one more time
- Ryann Krais (Sr., Methacton, PA) won the girls pentathlon for the third year in a row with 3823. Krais barely missed the national record in the event of 3846, putting up a solid long jump, but scratching her first two jumps, thus couldn't fully unload a big jump in the end. Krais' performances were: 8.62 (60mH), 5-05.75 (HJ), 31-07.5 (SP), 18-04.5 (LJ) and 2:23.32 (800m).
- David Wilson (Jr., George Washington, VA) pulled off the surprise upset of the field events Saturday, winning the triple jump with a PR of 49-09. Wilson beat a strong field of competitors, including Omar Craddock (Jr., Killeen, TX). Craddock, who entered the meet as a heavy favorite with his U.S. #2 ranking in the event, scratched his first two attempts, then only lept 46-08.75 on his final attempt. Craddock's final marking was only good enough for ninth place overall.
- In the boys pentathlon, Gray Horn (Sr., Waynesfield-Goshen, OH) dominated from the first event, along the way extending his lead to over three hundred points. Horn scored 3786 to beat runner-up Kevin Carney (Brentwood, TN), who scored 3430. Horn ran 8.35 (60mH), 21-04.75 (LJ), 44-11.5 (SP), 6-05.5 (HJ) and 2:56.22 (1000m). Overall this was a very good performance for Horn.
Photo: Ja-Vell Bullard (VA) before his 400m prelim
- In the 400m prelims, Ja-Vell Bullard (Sr., Bethel, VA) ran the top boys time, while Briana Nelson (So., J.L. Mann, SC) ran the fastest time on the girls side in 55.71, nearly half a second ahead of the next best qualifier.
- Saratoga Springs (NY), aka Kinetic RC, won the girls 4x1 mile relay rather easily. Midlothian (VA) had the lead through the first two runners, however a strong leg from Saratoga's Cassie Goutos caught and passed Midlothian. Then Hannah Davidson took over for her squad, running a strong 5:03.8 last mile to capture the title in 20:47.73.
Picture: Waldorf TC (Westlake, MD) poses after their 4x200m relay victory
- Westlake (MD), aka Waldorf TC, dominated the boys 4x200m relay with their winning time of 1:28.90. Westlake tied the meet record set by Cleveland Glenville (OH), set back in 2004.
- Landstown (VA) beat Eleanor Roosevelt (MD) in an incredible dual in the girls 4x200m relay, 1:40.08-1:40.17. Eleanor Roosevelt had a commanding lead through the first two runners, but Landstown's third leg brought them back into contention. Going into the anchor leg, Eleanor Roosevelt had a five meter lead, keeping that lead through the first half of the final lap. Then, Landstown's anchor, Marlena Wesh, went into a furious final kick and the crowd became deafining loud. Wesh leaned at the line to earn the win for her squad. Simply outstanding!
Picture: Chelsey Sveinsson (TX) after her big frosh. girls win
- In the girls freshman mile, Chelsey Sveinsson (North Texas, TX) showed her incredible speed, winning the race from wire to wire. Sveinsson set a blistering early pace of 2:23 for the first 800m, then closed nearly as strong, winning in 4:49.37. Second place finished eleven seconds back. Sveinsson's time also broke the meet record for the freshman girls mile, which was set by Chantelle Dron back in 2002 with her 5:00.22 performance
- The boys freshman mile was one exciting race. Brayden Burleigh (Midlothian, VA) beat a strong field in the second heat, winning the overall race title in 4:31.21. Burleigh won the race by just over four seconds, leading from the rest of the way after the first quarter.
- In the 1 mile race walk, Ricardo Vergara (Sr., South Texas WC, TX) won the boys competition in 6:34.98, winning by three seconds. In the girls competition, Leah Buletti beat a strong field in 7:46.78.
Picture: Boys 5k Top Six Finishers
- Solomon Haile (Jr., MD) wins heat two of the Boys 5k in 14:53.93, winning by seven seconds. Haile nearly got the junior national record of 14:53.10 set by Mohammud Ige (CO) back in 2005. Haile ran splits of 4:45, 9:30 (4:45), 14:21 (4:51) with a 32 second last lap.
Picture: Boys Weight Throw Top Six
- Michael Gama Jr. (Jr., Bishop Hendricken, RI) won the boys weight throw with a new PR of 73-05.25, which currently ranks him U.S. #3 in the event. Mitchell Gormley (Sr., Brookwood, GA) placed second with a tremendous toss of 70-09.75, U.S. #4.
- Justin Heck (Sr., Monroe, MI) wins heat one of the Boys 5k in 15:25.48, wins by 15 seconds.
Picture: Anna Shields wins Girls 5k in 17:38.57
- Anna Shields (Jr., Lewis Mills, CT) wins the Girls 5k in 17:38.57, ten seconds ahead of runner-up Mary Grace Pellegrini (Sr., DuPont Manual, KY).