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| USATF World Youth Trials
Rynearson Stadium, Eastern Michigan U., Ypsilanti MI
June 30-July 1, 2009
Tuesday
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Crouser's Big Throw, Tough Prelims Dominate Day 1
Results - Highlights
 
Ashton Purvis CA (100 and 200) and Briana Nelson (over Akawkaw Ndipagbor in 400) were leading qualifiers in their prelims Tuesday. Photos
by Walter Pinion and Cassandra Geiger.
Ryan Crouser: WYL, USR 70-08.50 w/11 lb. shot
By SteveU
Cool, windy, rainy, 58-degree weather – at the end of June. Getting up at 2 a.m. and competing at 5 a.m., at least according to their bodies’ internal clocks. In what kind of twilight zone had throwers Ryan Crouser and Alex Collatz found themselves?
Welcome to the USATF World Youth Trials, in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
You had to get up early Tuesday morning if you wanted to see some of the best events and athletes in Ypsi, especially if you were on West Coast time. And throw on a jacket or wrap up in a blanket while you’re at it, because although the average high this time of year is 82, this meet would not enjoy anything close to that. Collatz, from Stockton CA, found it a bit daunting – “I didn’t even bring a pair of long pants!” she said – and it showed. She still won the discus, though, and will likely arrive in Italy as the girls world leader.
Crouser had to establish himself with a new implement, though – and did he ever. After making a few adjustments on early throws and getting comfortable, the Barlow OR soph powered the 5kg/11-lb. shot out to 70-08.50. The mark is not only a World Youth Leader, but thought to be the longest throw ever by a US prep with the implement – used only in World Youth competition and younger divisions of Junior Olympics.
The first day of the 2-day Trials, held in conjunction with the USATF Youth Championships, was mostly field event finals and track prelims, but there were three other running finals. Mason OH soph Zack Wills, fresh off his runner-up showing in the NON 2-mile, cruised to an 8:27.19 boys 3k victory. Meanwhile, Eleanor Fulton CO and Connor Martin IN claimed 2k steeplechase victories.
The field event finals had a definite New York flavor to them, with Alec Faldermeyer and Karen Henning winning their respective hammer competitions and Jen Clayton notching a last jump victory in the girls long jump. Other Tuesday champions off the track included NON champ Devin Bogert TX (boys jav), Max Babits MI (boys PV), Kasen Covington ID (boys TJ).
Standing out in Tuesday’s track prelims were the loaded fields in the girls 100 through 800. In the short dashes, Ashton Purvis twice led the way, hitting the fastest times in the 100 and 200. Pacing the 400 action was NON runner-up Briana Nelson SC, while NON champ Claudia Francis NY had the best mark in three quick 800 heats. With the 200 and 400 scratching down to finals, the boys prelim action was quite as hot, though surprise entrant Prezel Hardy, the all-conditions World Youth Leader in the 100, cruised through his first round. Prelims were also canceled in the 1500s, leaving TX star Chelsey Sveinsson and other competitors with just one race to run.
But you had to be an early riser for the day’s best performance. “I came in confident,” said Crouser. “I’ve been throwing with a 10-lb. (practice) ball, working on my speed. I felt good out here.”
Crouser said he sleeps as much as 12-13 hours a night, and wasn’t about to compromise that habit too much in Michigan. Despite the fact that it was like going to bed in the late afternoon Pacific Time, Crouser managed to doze off by 7 p.m. ET, getting up at 5 a.m. to get ready for the competition three hours later. The cool weather, he said, wasn’t much of an adjustment for him. He also noted that sticking to nearby all-comers meets in Oregon, with the Trials being his first post-season affair, worked best for him, too.
Collatz, though, was left shaking her head. “It wasn’t exactly my best performance of the year,” she said. She’s been pretty consistent all year, in the 160s, but Tuesday, “it was too cold and too early.” She hit 152-00, though, which was enough to win comfortably. Collatz added that she’s been throwing well in practices, usually hitting high 160s. This is not more than just a minor bump in the road.
Tuesday Field Highlights
- Soph Ryan Crouser OR blasted a World Youth leading 70-08.50 (5kg/11 lb youth shot), also thought to be a USR with the rarely thrown implement. Davis Fraker GA was 2nd in 63-08.25
- Stockdale CA soph and World Youth leader Anna Collatz took the discus in a modest 152-00
- New Yorkers took both hammers, with Alec Faldermeyer hitting 223-08 to win by four feet, and Karen Henning winning with 154-05, more than 12 feet up on 2nd
- Jen Clayton NY leapt to 19-07.50 (-0.5) on her last jump, passing and beating A'Lexus Brannon TX (19-07.00, -0.4) by 1 cm. The day's other horizontal jump was the boys TJ, which was won by Kasen Covington ID in 48-04.50 (-0.8).
- Tuesday's only other throw was the boys javelin, where NON champ Devin Bogert TX edged Chris Rodriguez AZ, 217-02 to 215-10
- The host state got its lone victory in the boys PV, as Max Babits soared 15-04.25 to take the PV
Tuesday Running Highlights
- Soph NON 2M runner-up Zack Willis OH cruised to an 8:27.19 victory in the 3000. He already has a World Youth qualifier with his 8:20.17 split at NON
- Connor Martin IN was the only entrant in the 2K ST, but was moved to the Young Men's race in the regular USATF Youth Champs (non Trials), where he won with 6:05.35
- Eleanor Fulton CO edged McKinzie Schulz IL in the final strides of the 2k ST to win, 6:48.01 to 6:48.11. The 3k and 2k ST were the only finals
- Heat winners Ashton Purvis CA (H2-11.65w, +3.4), Olivia Ekpone MD (H1-11.68w, +4.2) and Jessica Davis CA (H3-11.81w, +3.9) had the three fastest qualifiers in the 100. TX state champ Tiffany Hines was a surprise non-qualifier
- Purvis also paced 200 qualifiers, blazing a 23.78w (+4.8) in H2, followed by Olivia Ekpone MD 24.10w. The other two heat winners, both with 24.27 clockings, were Briana Nelson SC (-0.6w) and Jessica Davis CA (+1.9w)
- Nelson had the best mark in the loaded girls 400 prelims, with 53.81 in H3, beating Ekpone (54.29) and Akawkaw Ndipagbor CA (54.67). H2 saw Montenae Roye win with 55.89 and NON champ and World Youth leader Ebony Eutsey FL just getting by with 55.96, while H1 saw Michelle Brown NJ 54.97 over Chamique Francis NY (55.46).
- The girls 800 prelims were also tough: H1 saw Phyllis Francis NY 2:12.29 over Nia Fluker TX 2:13.36; H2 was the fastest as NON champ Claudia Francis 2:09.23 topped Marielle Hall NJ 2:10.29 and Paisley Pettway 2:11.99; in H3 it was Emily Menges NY 2:11.15 over Shelby Houlihan IA 2:11.94
- Prezel Hardy TX led boys 100 qualifiers, winning H1 with 10.68w (+2.9). Keenan Brock AL won H2 in 10.78w (+2.8)
- Lorraine Graham (13.86w, +3.9), Bridgette Owens MI (13.85, +0.0), and Kori Carter CA (14.19, -1.2w) were heat winners in the 100H. Kristen Brown (13.88w) and A'Lexus Brannon TX (13.90) were also under 14.00.
- Dale Morgan CA led 110H (36") qualifiers with 13.80w (+4.9). He was closely trailed by Devallee Pedrogo (13.88w). Other heat winners were Demetrius Lindo (14.30, +1.4w) and Kendall Hayes TX (13.95, +1.1).
- Morgan also won H2 of the 400H prelims in 54.88. Jaron Roberson GA took H1 in 53.77. The girls 400H heat winners were Kori Carter CA 1:02.10 and Leah Nugent PA 1:00.95.
- The boys 200 and 400, and boys and girls 1500s, all scratched down to finals
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