What a weekend and what a week ahead! This week's News & Notes section discusses where vault star Nico Weiler will be attending college next year, what events dot the weekend ahead and the top highlights out of Oklahoma Regional action and Virginia this past weekend.
News & Notes (5/06)
Vaulter Weiler Signs With Harvard
After months of speculation it seems that U.S. #1 pole vaulter Nico Weiler (Los Gatos, CA) (pictured left by Scott Bush) has officially signed to attend Harvard University next fall. Weiler, who is a German-exchange student, has been a dominant force on the U.S. prep vaulting scene since last season, with his seasonal best being 17-04 set last month at the Arcadia Invitational.
According to a report on PoleVaultPower.com, Weiler has accepted a financial-aid package from Harvard and is looking forward to next season. Over the course of the season Weiler expressed interest in such schools as UCLA, USC and Brigham Young (UT). With his college decision now out of the way it seems Weiler is focused on bigger goals. With his past national and international experience it is safe to say Weiler will attempt to break his personal best of 17-06.25 set last season, as well as making the German junior national team.
MileSplit Week Ahead
With five state meets taking place this past weekend, the championship season is now in full swing. This coming weekend hundreds of conference and regional championships take place across the nation, while no less than eight state meets mark the calendar. Those state meets include: Georgia, South Carolina, New Mexico, Arizona, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Hawaii and the deepest and most talented of all...Texas.
The UIL Championships (Texas State Meet) is obviously the highlight event of the weekend. Each year this event posts some of the top sprint, relay and jump event performances seen all year. Meanwhile three states over, Georgia hosts the boys state championship meet. The girls championship was last weekend and provided some amazing highlights, however this weekend could be even more impressive. Such notable athletes as Christian Taylor (Sandy Creek, GA) and William Wynne (McEachern, GA) take to the track with U.S. #1 performances always a possibility.
With eight seperate state meets taking place this second weekend in May, MileSplit will be on-site at five of them, while having correspondants at two others. Keep checking back throughout the week as we post up previews, highlights and results of each state competition.
Virginia Highlights (VA)
For top Virginia Coverage visit MileStat.com
Some big performances were earned in Virginia this past weekend, including one of the top 1600m performances to date. Blacksburg's (VA) Peter Dorrell won the boys 1600m run at the VMI Invitational (VA) in a U.S. #3 mark of 4:11.62. Dorrell, who has been competing at a top national level since early in the indoor season, continues to roll and show he's one of the best milers in the country.
Also at the VMI Invitational, Nike Indoor Nationals triple jump champion David Wilson (VA) won the boys triple jump with a leap of 48-02, as he nears the 50 foot barrier once again. At the Landstown Invitational (VA) Charisse Bryant (VA) won the boys 110m hurdles with an excellent mark of 14.11 (wind-legal). Bryant's time ranks him as one of the top hurdlers in the country to date.
The top girls highlights of the weekend came from the Landstown Invitational (VA) as well. The triple jump was interesting, as both Ermesha Fair (VA) and Brenna Davis (VA) leaped 39-04, two of the best marks in the country this season, and so close to the much-talked about 40 foot barrier. The other top mark came from a freshman in the 800m dash. Amanda Smith (VA) won the race with a solid time of 2:14.83.
Oklahoma 5A-6A Regional Action
Oklahoma 5A-6A Regionals: Meet Page & Results
While the weekend action in Oklahoma was focused predominantly on the 1A-4A State Championships, the largest classes (5A-6A) conducted their regional championships. The regional championships established the start lists for this weekend's 5A-6A State Championships, and after this past weekend's amazing performances this weekend's state meet is looking exceptional.
Once again leading the way were field event standouts Jack Whitt (Norman North, OK), Geoffrey Tabor (Ardmore, OK) and Cameron Tabor (Norman, OK). Whitt easily won the boys pole vault title at his respective regional, climbing ever closer to the 17 foot barrier by clearing 16-06. Meanwhile, the cousins Tabor expanded on their in-state dominance in the boys throwing events. Cameron won his regional shot put and discus titles with excellent throws of 61-02 and 181-05. Meanwhile, Geoffrey won both throwing events at his regional with marks of 62-05.50 and 192-03.
On the track it was apparent that windy conditions state-wide helped guide some incredible boys performances. Leading the way was Rakieem Salaam (Edmond North, OK), who won the 100m dash in 10.54, while also winning the 200m dash in 21.17 at his regional. In the prelims Salaam blazed to a smoking 20.90 for 200m. Three other male sprinters dipped under the 10.50 mark for 100m as Jermie Roberson (Del City, OK) ran 10.36, Boyea Lockett (UN6B, OK) ran 10:40 and Chaz Daniels (Ada, OK) ran 10.36. Obviously wind played a strong factor, although no full wind readings were reported.
In girls action, Carissa Levingston (Midwest City, OK) won the 100m and 200m dash events at her regional, while also guiding her team to a 4x400m relay win in 3:53.01. Levingston crushed the field in both individual sprint events, winning the shorter sprint in 11.54, while taking home the 200m title in 24.22. The top highlight of the girls field events came from Constance Ezugha (Edmond Santa Fe, OK), winning the long jump event at her 6A regional with one of the best leaps in the country this year, reaching 19-00.