Ferguson, Solomon, Huddle shine at USA Junior Champs
6-22-2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Jill Geer
Director of Communications
USA Track & Field
(317) 261-0478 x360
[email protected]
STANFORD, Calif. – In an action-packed day with finals in
23 events, Kenneth Ferguson aced an impressive hurdle double, Shalonda
Solomon completed the women’s sprint double, and Molly Huddle
broke a 22-year-old meet record Sunday at the 2003 USA Junior Outdoor
Track & Field Championships. Held at Stanford University’s
Cobb Track and Angell Field, the meet is part of USA Track &
Field’s Verizon Youth Series.
For their achievements, Solomon and Huddle were named co-Verizon
Women’s Outstanding Athletes of the Meet, and Ferguson was
named Verizon Men’s Outstanding Athlete of the Meet.
The top eight finishers in each event at the USA Junior Outdoor
Championships are named Verizon All-Americans, and the top two finishers
qualify for Team USA at the 2003 Junior Pan Am Games July 18-20
in Barbados. Junior athletes are age 19 or under during the 2003
calendar year.
Ferguson concluded an impressive meet by winning the 110m hurdles
and 400m hurdles in a single day. The South Carolina freshman first
won the high hurdles at 2:50 p.m. in a time of 13.60, with Dexter
Faulk second in 13.75. Exactly three hours later, Ferguson won the
400m hurdles in an even more impressive performance. The Southeastern
Conference champion dominated the field before jogging across the
finish line in 50.70 seconds – more than a full second ahead
of second-place Adrian Walker of Illinois (51.73).
Solomon added the 100m junior title to the 200m crown she won on
Saturday. Running in the 100m final on Sunday, Solomon of Long Beach
Poly High School led from the start and won big in 11.40 seconds
over second-place Ashley Owens (11.60). Solomon had won the 200
meters handily on Saturday as well, in 23.37.
The national high school record holder in the two mile, Huddle
ran 9:19.52 in the women’s 3,000m on Sunday to break the 22-year-old
meet record of 9:21.0 set by U.S. junior record holder Ceci Hopp
in 1981. A freshman at Notre Dame, Huddle was the 2003 Big East
champion and NCAA fourth-place finisher in the 5,000 meters. Megan
Kaltenbach was second on Sunday in 9:44.21.
Ashton Collins of the University of Texas kept winning in the family
by taking the men’s 400m in 45.64 seconds over Baylor University’s
Jeremy Wariner (46.41). Collins’ brother, Aaron, on Saturday
won the men’s 200m title in 21.06. In the other men’s
sprint final of the day, Carlos Moore of Mt. San Antonio College
took the title in 10.38 seconds, with Kenny O’Neal a close
second in 10.40.
The women’s 400 meters provided a tight finish as the lead
changed several times heading into the final straightaway. At the
finish line, Golden South winner Stephanie Smith of Macon, Ga.,
emerged national champion with a time of 52.04. Angel Perkins placed
second, and Natasha Hastings was third in 52.09.
The women’s 800m also provided an exciting race as Ashley
Patten, Trisa Nickoley and Jenna Timinsky stuck closely together
behind Patten throughout the race. Neither Nickoley, a high schooler
from Kansas, nor Timinsky from UCLA could overtake Patten, the Big
12 runner-up from Missouri, who won in 2:07.60. Nickoley finished
in 2:08.13 with Timinski third in 2:09.64.
Michael Inge of Kent State left the men’s 800m significantly
less in doubt by taking the early lead and never relinquishing it.
Inge crossed the line in 1:47.89, with Oregon prepster Michael McGrath
second in 1:49.36.
Ari Lambie, the third-fastest high school miler in history, lived
up to expectations by winning the women’s 1,500m in 4:20.20.
Chantelle Dron ran a strong race as the only runner to maintain
any kind of contact with Lambie, and finished in 4:26.08.
Christopher Lukezic of Georgetown University had to fight a bit
harder to win his second U.S. junior title in the men’s 1,500m,
but he managed the victory in 3:49.69. Sam Vasquez placed second
in 3:50.85.
In the steeplechase events, Kevin Davis ran 9:01.34 to win the
men’s 3,000m steeple over Joseph Gray (9:05.96). Baylor’s
Angela Marvin ran 6:42.82 to win the women’s 2,000m steeple
over Kelly Siefker of Indiana University (6:46.42).
Bill Nelson of Colorado won the men’s 5,000m with a time
of 14:21.46, followed by Galen Rupp in 14:28.00.
Dawn Harper of UCLA won the women’s 100m hurdles in 13.28,
with Alandra Sherman second in 13.36. The women’s 400m hurdles
was a sizzling, photo-finish race, with Tawana Watkins of South
Carolina (58.38) getting the nod over McKenzie Hill of West Valley
(58.39).
The day kicked off with the women’s and men’s race
walks, where athletes from traditionally strong walking schools
prevailed. In the women’s race, Christine Tagliaferri of Wisconsin-Parkside
(55:15.49) outlasted Maria Michta of Walk USA (55:41.68). On the
men’s side, Adam Staier of Mansfield University in Pennsylvania
literally walked away with an easy win, with a time of 45:43.86.
Zachary Pollinger of the New Jersey Striders was second in 49:59.01.
Amarachi Ukabam posted a big victory in the women’s discus
with a best throw of 56.21m/184-5, and Beth Mallory placed second
in 50.89m/166-11. In other field events, Kristen Michalski of Syracuse
University won the women’s hammer with a throw of 57.26m/187-10;
Beth Mallory of Alabama was second with 54.52m/178-10. Stanford
University’s Solomon Welch (15.30m/50-2.5) took the men’s
triple jump, followed by Devon Fanfair (15.05m/49-4.5).
Garrett Johnson was a big winner in the men’s shot put with
a mark of 19.42m/63-8.75. Noah Bryant was a distant second with
18.86m/61-10.5.
In the women’s triple jump, Alyce Williams of George Mason
posted a mark of 12.99m/42-7.5 to win the national title over Ychlindria
Speak of Texas (12.90m/42-4).
For live results and athlete quotes from the USA Junior Outdoor
Track & Field Championships, visit the USATF Web site, www.usatf.org
|