EUGENE, OREGON, June 23-25 — Maryland prep Juliette Whittaker (Mt de Sales, Catonsville) smashed the High School Record in the 800 with her 1:59.04 to headline the women’s action at the USATF Junior Championships. It was the second trip under 2:00 for the Stanford-bound Whittaker, who after a 1:59.80 in New York on May 20 finally broke Mary Cain’s 1:59.51 record from ’13.
After a 29.03 first 200, the 18-year-old slipped past rival Roisin Wills on the inside and led through halfway in 59.04, with Willis (59.11) in hot pursuit. She accelerated hard there and by 600 (1:28.26) she had built a lead of 10m over Willis, holding that to the finish, where Willis followed in 2:00.32. Whittaker’s mark also moves her to No. 3 among U.S. Juniors all-time.
The winner told letsrun.com that it wasn’t a planned record attempt. “I didn’t feel very good warming up; my legs were heavy… With the heat and everything, I was really just hoping to get top 2, so for that record to just come was such a great surprise.”
Shawnti Jackson (Wakefield, Raleigh, NC) impressed in the 100, taking the final in 11.07w (2.7mps). That moved her to No. 4 prep ever on the all-conditions list. It was barely enough to hold off the 11.09 of Oregon prep Mia Brahe-Pedersen (Lake Oswego), with Autumn Wilson (Savio, Austin) 3rd in 11.14. In the heats Brahe-Pedersen’s 11.25 took down the Oregon state record that had been set by Margaret Bailes at the ’68 Olympic Trials.
South Carolina frosh Jayla Jamison took the 200 in 22.93, with Brahe-Pedersen scoring a prep-leading 22.98. Indiana prep Addy Wiley scored a 4:15.53 win in the 1500 off a big kick (48.32 last 300).
The Moll twins captured the pole vault team spots, being the only ones to clear 14-3¼ (4.35), Amanda with the win over Hana.
USATF allowed several athletes from Ukraine to participate as guest competitors, one of them, Valeriia Sholomistka, winning the walk in 46:46.97.
USATF JUNIOR WOMEN’S MEDALISTS
100(2.7): 1. Shawnti Jackson (NCHS) 11.07w(a-c HSL) (a-c: =10, x AJ; 4, 6 HS); 2. Mia Brahe-Pedersen (OrHS) 11.09w (=5, =8 HS);
3. Autumn Wilson (TxHS) 11.14w; 4. Jayla Jamison (SC) 11.17w; 5. Alyssa Colbert (NnAz) 11.28w;
6. Lily Jones (OrHS) 11.37w; 7. Kaila Jackson (MiHS) 11.37w; 8. Victoria Perrow (DCHS) 11.41w.
Heats: II(1.4)–1. Brahe-Pedersen 11.25 (HSL).
200(-0.6): 1. Jayla Jamison (SC) 22.93;
2. Brahe-Pedersen 22.98 (HSL);
3. Iyana Gray (UTA) 23.20.
400: 1. Mekenze Kelley (CCar) 52.10; 2. Zaya Akins (MoHS) 52.90; 3. Kaylyn Brown (NCHS) 53.11.
800: 1. Juliette Whittaker (Mt de Sales, Catonsville, Md) 1:59.04 HSR (old HSR 1:59.51 Mary Cain [Bronxville, NY] ’13) (3, 8 AJ);
2. Roisin Willis (WiHS) 2:00.32 (x, 7 HS);
3. Michaela Rose (LSU) 2:06.71.
1500: 1. Addy Wiley (InHS) 4:15.53; 2. Mia Barnett (Va) 4:20.86; 3. Elizabeth Whaley (WF) 4:23.00.
3000: 1. Kate Peters (OrHS) 9:34.78; 2. Ana Weaver (BYU) 9:41.65; 3. Heidi Nielson (Ar) 9:52.98.
5000: 1. Weaver 16:25.67; 2. Nielson 16:30.50; 3. Harper McClain (Or) 16:48.23.
St: 1. Harper McClain (Or) 10:23.35;
2. Karrilynn Baloga (NYHS) 10:27.13 (HSL);
3. Addison Stevenson (LSU) 10:58.64.
100H(0.4): 1. Jalaysiya Smith (USC) 13.21; 2. Eddiyah Frye (Ga) 13.26; 3. Chyler Turner (Duke) 13.36.
400H: 1. Akala Garrett (NCHS) 57.47; 2. Michaela Rose (LSU) 58.30; 3. Myla Greene (MdHS) 58.61.
10,000W: 1. Valeriia Sholomitska’ (Ukr) 46:46.97;
2. Angelica Harris (IlHS) 49:29.73 (3, 5 AJ; 3, 5 HS);
3. Talia Green (CaHS) 49:31.54.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Miracle Ailes (IaWn) 5-11¼ (1.81); 2. Emma Gates (OrHS) 5-11¼; 3. Cheyla Scott (NCHS) 5-11¼.
PV: 1. Amanda Moll (WaHS) 14-3¼ (4.35); 2. Hana Moll (WaHS) 14-3¼; 3. Olivia Lueking (Ok) 14-1¼ (4.30).
LJ: 1. India Alix (TxHS) 20-3w (6.17); 2. Sophia Beckmon (OrHS) 20-½ (6.11); 3. Alyssa Banales (TxHS) 19-8¼w (6.00).
TJ: 1. Suzan Ogunleye (TxHS) 42-11½w (13.09); 2. Agur Dwol (CoHS) 41-9¾ (12.74); 3. Riley Ammenhauser (Mi) 41-4¼ (12.60).
SP: 1. Amelia Flynt (Cal) 51-¼ (15.55); 2. Chrystal Herpin (Tx) 50-11 (15.52); 3. Sarah Marvin (Vand) 48-5¼ (14.76).
DT: 1. Siniru Iheoma (Prin) 178-8 (54.47); 2. Ames Burton (Mo) 177-5 (54.08); 3. Giavonna Meeks (CoHS) 173-5 (52.87).
HT: 1. Emily Fink (Army) 196-8 (59.94); 2. Jillian Stafford (UCLA) 195-3 (59.52); 3. Kali Terza (Kenn) 190-9 (58.14).
JT: 1. Kohana Nakato (Or) 157-10 (48.11); 2. Saydi Orange (WaHS) 156-4 (47.65); 3. Marin Barras (LaL) 153-10 (46.88).
Hept: 1. Blakelee Winn (PittSt) 5473 (14.38, 5-3/1.60, 38-7/11.76, 24.54 [3235], 18-10½/5.75, 140-1/42.97, 2:26.32 [2238]);
2. JaiCieonna Gero-Holt (WaHS) 5401 (HSL) (national frosh-class record) (14.62, 5-11¼/1.81, 39-6/12.04, 25.69 [3371], 18-5¼/5.62, 127-1/38.75, 2:33.29 [2030]);
3. Bryanna Craig (NJHS) 5388 (14.55, 5-7¾/1.72, 34-7/10.54, 25.11 [3223], 18-6½/5.65, 118-0/35.98, 2:19.42 [2165]).