USATF JO | AAU JO | Keystone Games | Hershey's T&F Champs On Day Eight of the AAU Junior Olympics in Detroit, Michigan, Swenson's Shanae Bailey (Mt. Airy), came up big with a 3rd place in the IG 100 (11.80), and helping her 4x100 to a 2nd place and 4x400 to a 5th place. In IB, Morris Estate was 3rd in the 4x400. Herman Kirkland, Imohtep Charter, took 4th in the YM 100, going 10.74. Megan Rother, Villa Joseph Marie, was 2nd in the YW 3000 in 11:19.12. Mt. Airy took 2nd in the YM 4x100 and 6th in the YM 4x100. AJs Elite of Chester, took 6th in the YW 4x400. On Day Seven, Mt. Airy TC advanced to the finals of the IG 4x100 and YM 4x100, and took 5th in the 4sx800. AJs Elite took 2nd in the YW 4x800 in 9:27.95. In the IB 4x800, Morris Estate was 7th. Manuta Elite was 8thin the YM 4x800. On Day Six Shaniel Chambers, Chester, and Shatievah Lewis, Robeson, went 4-5 in the YW 1500 finals, running 4:58.45 and 5:02.63, respectively. Four PA relays advanced to the finals of the 4x400, includng Mt. Airy in the IG with a 3:55.07; AJ's Elite in the YW with a 3:49.91; Morris Estate in the IB at 3:23.96; and Mt. Airy in the YM with a 3:14.65. On Day Five, Methacton's Carlton Lavong (in photo courtesy of Daryl Lavong) won his 2nd AAU IG title in two days after his PA#1 triple jump, going 22-03.75 in the long jump. Gwynedd Mercy's Taylor Bumpas took 2nd in the YW 800 in 2:14.04. Council Rock North's Mike Mahoney was 5th in the YM 2000m steeplechase, going 6:30.84. Swenson's Shanae Bailey advanced from the semis of the IG 100 with her 12.03. Imhotep Charter's Herman Kirkland advanced from the semis of the YM 100, running 10.64. Methacton's Wesley Lavong took 7th in the YM shot put with a toss of 55-02.75. Cheltenham's Brittney Howell was 8th in the long jump at 17-07.25. On Day Four Methacton's Carlton Lavong won the IB triple jump with a PA#1 48-06.75. Older brother Wesley was 7th in the YM discus, throwing 159-11. In the YM 200 prelims, the Haverford School's Tom Hopkins ran 22.44 to advance. Imhotep Charter's Herman Kirkland was 7th in the YM long jump, going 22-8. Chester's Rayiana Johnson advanced in the YW 200, running 25:01. On Day Three, Swenson's Shanae Bailey advanced to the semis of the IG 100, running 12.04. Gwynedd Mercy's Taylor Bumpas advanced to the YW 800 finals with her 2:15.46. Imhotep grad Herman Kirkland (10.93) and Haverford School's Thomas Hopkins (11.12) both advanced to the next round of the YM 100. Mel Leszcynski (Methacton), was 3rd in the IG Javelin, throwing 123-09. Cheltenham's Alfred McHanley was 7th in the YM triple jump, going 46-06.75. And Christopher Booker of Philadelphia advanced in the IB 800, running 1:59.65. On Day Six of the USATF Junior Olympics in Omaha, Nebraska, Terence Lee, an Engineering & Science grad, took 4th in the YM 1500, going 4:05.23. Conrad Weiser's Lamont Fowler ran 48.56 to take 6th in the YM 400. On Day Five, Upper Dublin's Victoria Gocht, running for United Stars, won the YW 800 in 2:12.86. Lakeview's Fawn Miller was the runner-up in the IG javelin, throwing 144-9. Elyse Wilkinson, United Stars (Penn Charter), was 6th in the IG 800 in 2:16.86. On Day Four, Harold Lamour, Juventus (Engineering & Science), advanced to the finals of the IB 1500, running 4:16.22. Terence Lee, also of Juventus and E&S, ran 4:07.64 to advance in the YM 1500. Lamont Fowler, Tri-County (Conrad Weiser) and Aaron Nadolsky, Three Rivers (Altoona), advanced to the finals of the YM 400, running 48.31 and 48.88, respectively. On Day Three, Elyse Wilkinson, United Stars (Penn Charter), advanced to the final of the IG 800, running 2:17.68. Vicky Gocht, United Stars (Upper Dublin), ran 2:16.55, the top qualifier in the YW 800. The United Stars 4x400 advanced to their finals. On Day Two, Philly's United Stars Track Club captured the IG 4x800 tile, running 9:28.44. On Day One, North Allegheny's Ryan Gil took 3rd in the IB 2000m steeplechase in 6:32.22, with Altoona's Chris Fischer 6th, a little over three seconds back. Rising sophomore Angelica Peck of Blackhawk HS was 6th in the IG 2000m steeple, running 7:24.83.
Coverage
Quick Striders' Brittney Waller wins national title in discus, Stowers second in young women 100 hurdles, Nelson second in 400 Palmetto Speed's Brandon Sanders arrived home from USATF Nationals with two titles. Sanders brought home the youth boys trophy in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dash events. Sanders ran 22.37 seconds in the 200 Saturday and on Sunday covered the 100 in 11.07 seconds.
The USATF National Junior Olympics wrapped up on Sunday with only several high school athletes from Virginia making the trip to Nebraska. Meanwhile, a much larger delegation of Virginians will be in Detroit, Michigan this week for the AAU National Junior Olympics with many Eastern Region athletes competing. Live Results at aauathletics.org AAU National JO Results by Day: Day One - Day Two - Day Three - Day Four - Day Five - Day Six - Day Seven Day 8 (Saturday, August 2nd) Highlights: Dejor Simmons closed out a remarkable week in Michigan at the AAU Nationals by winning national titles in both the 100 and 200 meter dash on Saturday in the intermediate boys division. Simmons first won the 100 meter dash in convincing fashion with a 10.54 clocking with second place in the finals at 10.85, while the Green Run rising junior was a big winner again in the 200 meter dash at 21.55. Bethel's Ja-Vell Bullard added a third individual national title to his collection for the year as put on a thrilling finish to overtake Bernard Goodwyn from Delware in the final stretch for a 47.32 victory in the finals of the young men's 400 meter dash. Taylor Sykes of Great Bridge and Darryl Brickhouse of Nansemond River also competed in the same finals race as they placed seventh and eighth respectively. Keith Ricks did not win a national title like Simmons in the 200 meter dash, but rolled out an even faster time and the state's fastest performance of the year with his 21.19 clocking to earn All-American honors in a third place finish in the young men division finals. An All-Star team of athletes competing for the Norfolk Real Deal Track Club put up a stellar time to win the AAU 4x400 national title in the young men's division as the quartert of stars Darryl Brickhouse, Sherrard Marrow, Keith Ricks, and Ja-Vell Bullard clocked in at 3:10.57 to close out the meet with a first place finish in relay action. Day 7 (Friday, August 1st) Highlights: With 16 runners breaking 49 seconds, it was very competitive for the eight spots of athletes advancing onto the finals in the 400 meter dash for the young men division. Three Virginians in Ja-Vell Bullard, Taylor Sykes, and Darryl Brickhouse al made the cut with Nike Outdoor Nationals champion Bullard as the third fastest qualifier at 47.41. Great Bridge rising junior Taylor Sykes was just off of Bullard's time winning his heat in a new personal best time of 47.55 (previous best of 47.87). It was only the second time that Sykes has ever broken 48 seconds. Nansemond River's Darryl Brickhouse also needed a personal best performance to advance onto the finals as he nearly broke 48 seconds for the first time as the sixth fastest qualifier at 48.06. Two other Virginians also had solid performances, but failed to make the finals in Bethel teammates Sherrard Marrow (48.38) and Austin Cuffee (48.81). Marrow earned All-American honors earlier in the week in the 400 meter hurdles. Cosby's Andre Redd was the last qualifier to the 400 meter dash finals in the intermediate boys prelims with a 49.78 performance. Redd just completed his sophomore year and first season of track at Cosby with a 48.17 personal best at 400 meters, but has competed in AAU summer track since a young age. Churchland's Tiffany Harris had an outstanding race in the prelims of the young women 400 meter dash as she ran a personal best time of 55.86. Harris had a previous all-time best in the event of 56.69 from the AAU Regional Meet and had not broken 57 seconds during the school year at Churchland.
Many of the nation's top high school track and field athletes traveled to Detroit, Michigan for the AAU Junior Olympic Games that take place from last Saturday through this weekend. While many of the nation's best have shut their season down, the few remaining elite athletes are showing their best against one another for the last bragging rights of the 2008 track and field season. With the cross country season right around the corner, see who is making one last stand on the track. (Steeplechase champion Zachary Ornelas pictured above by Alex Aldaco) Live Results
Stacey Eden (Shelby County) won the AAU Junior Olympic Games National Title in the 3000m with a time of 8:58.83. Westside Track Club won the 3200 Relay in a time of 8:11.23. Live Results at aauathletics.org AAU National JO Results by Day: Day One - Day Two - Day Three - Day Four
In closing 2008 and looking forward to 2009, KYtrackXC.com presents the Top 10 Performances of 2008. These are based on the performances of Kentucky High School athletes only, during the traditional high school seasons and beyond.
Pictures of Kentucky athletes at the 2008 AAU Junior Olympic Games.