* Heather Durrant broke the 17-18 AAU Junior Olympic Games national record in the 3,000m racewalk
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GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The first AAU national record fell on the second day of competition on a partly cloudy day at Aggie Stadium.
Heather Durrant of the Elgin Sharks Track Club lined up ready to compete -- and with those killer shades on, too.
On Saturday, she was on a mission. The Illinois native put together one of the best performances of the year at the distance.
As expected, Durrant took control of the race early, racing out to a quick 1K split of 4:19.82. On the final lap, the fans at North Carolina A&T were bringing her home as she seized the final seconds.
Durrant crossed the finish line with a new AAU national record in 14:03.32.
Previously, she set a lifetime best of 13:31.49 to qualify for these championships. That time, from the AAU Region 13 Qualifier, is a U.S. No. 1 time.
Her sister, Hannah Durrant, was second with a time of 15:55.84 while Guailinex de Jesus was third in 16:12.32. Durrant, who qualified for the World U20 Championships in Colombia, is an alternate competitor for the 3,000m racewalk.
Last year, she won the event in 15:06.96. She also finished 10th and 13th overall in the 1,500m and 3K, respectively.
* Heather Durrant reflects on her AAU Junior Olympic Games experience
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