AAU Junior Olympic Games Day 1 Recap
08/05/2020
Check out everything that happened on day 1 of the AAU Junior Olympic Games track and field event.
Article originally posted on MileSplit.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - Only one national record was broken on Wednesday during the first day of action at the AAU Junior Olympic Games Track and Field Championships at Satellite Beach High School.
But it didn't catch many people by surprise.
Because Shelby Frank, a recent graduate of Grand Forks Red River High School in North Dakota, entered this week knowing she could do it.
The University of Minnesota throws recruit was hoping to down the six-year-old women's 17-18 year old discus record held by Jessica Woodard, if only because her previous best throw had indicated that was talented enough to do so.
In fact, the mark of 163 feet, 11 inches was six feet shy of Frank's career best mark of 169-1.
And on Wednesday, Frank did just that, producing a winning throw and US No. 2 mark of 164-0 (49.99m) to capture the new standard at the Games. On top of her record-breaking performance, Frank was also nearly 25 feet better than second-place Leia Williams of Georgia, who finished with a mark of 139-7.
The performance also marked the 10th time Frank had hit the 160-foot threshold since 2017, when she surpassed the barrier for the first time. In 2019, she hit the marker seven times overall. Her full series on Wednesday was her first overall effort of the 2020 season.
Rebecca Merritt, of Beach City, Texas, was third with a throw of 135-9.
WEDNESDAY'S CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RECAPS:
Girls 11yo 3K: Orlando, Florida-native Claire Reburn dominated in the first race of Wednesday's action, rolling to a winning time of 11:18.73. Annie Carda was second in 11:48.45 and Victoria Zea was third in 11:50.99.
Boys 11yo 3K: A familiar face to championship races at AAU, Kieran Tyrrell ran away from his competition early on and the young Texan scored a win in 10:24.02. Samuel Baker was second in 10:52.57 and Justin Williamson was third with a time of 11:12.65.
Girls 12yo 3K: Elizabeth Williamson, a native of Southwest Florida who made the trip Wednesday from Cape Coral, capitalized early on a fast pace and secured a win in 11:08.58. Ella Willoughby followed in 12:06.92 and Keysha Mizzell was third in 12:12.12.
Boys 12yo 3K: A competitive race saw Demetrie Meyers of Haverton (PA) surpass Brandon Williams for the win, with Meyers scoring a time of 10:45.35. Williams followed in 10:51.17, while Brayton Sax was third in 11:30.37.
Girls 13yo 3K: This one came down to a photo finish at the line, though it was California-native Chiara Bonomi leaning past Charlize-Trinity McKenzie for a hard-fought win. Bonomi dropped a winning-time of 10:30.57, while McKenzie was an agonizing two-hundredths of a second back in 10:30.59. Brynn Garcia was third in 10:50.19.
Boys 13yo 3K: Aaron Keller ran through the line with a winning time of 10:00.31, Quinlan Andrews was second in 10:09.61 and Nicholas Anderson was third in 10:46.87.
Girls 14yo 3K: Sadie Engelhardt was within an earshot of a national record on Wednesday, though the Ventura, California-native came up just short, finishing three seconds shy of the mark set in 2016 by London Culbreath with a time of 10:05.34. Tiffany Sax was second in 10:41.64 and Avery Fronrath was third in 10:54.04.
Boys 14yo 3K: Just two seconds separated this battle to the finish, and it was Bellevue, Iowa resident Payton Griebel who ultimately grabbed a national title, winning in 10:03.87. Mississippi-based athlete Taylor Brown was second in 10:05.50 and Georgia's John Dodson was third in 10:09.97.
Girls 15-16 3K: A defending champion whose racing experience played dividends early on, Leander's (TX) Isabella Edwards came up with another championship win on Wednesday, winning in 10:32.04. Kiley Murphy was second in 10:55.46, while Avigail Friedel was third in 11:17.03.
Boys 15-16 3K: A young talent with impressive racing tactics, Houston Strake Jesuit's (TX) Reese Vannerson bided his time across seven-plus laps before making one final move with 200 meters to go. The Sugar Land native passed Grayson Kennedy en route to the finish in 9:15.47. This was Vannerson's first 3K title since 2017 when he scored a triple in the 3K, 1,500m and 800m. Kennedy followed in 9:16.81, while Noah Espeleta was third in 9:35.45.
Girls 17-18 3K: Kambry Smith found her winning form in the final laps and claimed a national title in 10:31.04. Macy Schelp was second in 10:37.09 while Zoie Kiddy was third in 10:46.77.
Boys 17-18 3K: Joshua Stern was the only boys athlete in this division to break 9 minutes, posting a finishing time of 8:57.16. Immanuel Edwards was second in 9:09.52 while Mathew Olech was third in 9:14.17.
Boys 15-16 400mH: The rain came at an inopportune time for Tamaal Myers, who aspired to break Robert Griffin III's 14-year-old national record of 51.77. While that was not meant to be, Myers led from start to finish and claimed an impressive final time of 53.66 seconds. Kendrick Smallwood was second in 54.59 while Tyler Moore was third in 54.85.
Boys 17-18 400mH: While Greater Houston's (TX) Bryce McCray didn't have the perfect race, he dug hard in the final meters to still manage a personal record effort of 52.36 seconds -- showing that there's much more in the cards for the Texan in the future. Joseph Morrone was second in 54.54 seconds and Mario Paul was third in 55.66.
Girls 15-16 400mH: North Carolinan Falon Spearman captured an overall win with a time of 1:01.62, while Sanaa Hebron was second in 1:04.12 and Jayla Wilson was third in 1:08.15.
Boys 17-18 400mH: Michaela Rose found herself in Lane 8 on Wednesday -- which, to be honest, was not the greatest starting position. It meant that the Virginia-native was all alone on the outside, that she would have to trust her instincts from the gun and drive without being able to chase anyone. Rose ultimately overcame that position, though, putting forth an impressive performance as she became the only girl to run under 60 seconds on the day with a winning time of 59.00. The race marked her second straight championship in the 400mH. Eddiyah Frye was second in 1:03.90 and Mackenzie Sullivan was third in 1:04.14.
Girls 8&Under 800m: Chester Cheetahs athlete Melodi Ashford secured a championship win with a finishing time of 2:44.32. Ava Takeuchi was second in 2:53.69 while Jacayla Obas was third in 2:53.80.
Boys 8&Under 800m: It was crowded in the front of this race, until Homestead's (FL) Marcus Ford broke away and took the win in 2:39.45. King Hamilton was second in 2:41.55 and Cyprian Reid was third in 2:41.78.
Girls 9yo 800m: In a photo finish, Wichita Falls, Texas' Kennedy McCarter secured the win in 2:44.19, while Ayris Hutson followed shortly after in 2:44.84. Anna Vest was third in 2:57.02.
Boys 9yo 800m: One of California's most promising youngster, Victor Jaimez-Solorio, was just two seconds off the national record as he won the race in an impressive 2:21.09. Prince-Terry Kemp was second in 2:39.37 and Kentwann Wooten was third in 2:42.77.
Girls 10yo 800m: Anaiah Berry authored a win in this race, finishing in a time of 2:29.39, while Molly Cramer followed in second (2:39.73) and Madison Reese was third in 2:43.32.
Boys 10yo 800m: In his very first track and field race .... ever ... Cape Coral-based (FL) Kai Nesfield unloaded a lethal kick in the final moments to win in 2:29.39, edging past second-place Braylon McQueen, who was second in 2:29.42. Quincey McLean was third in 2:34.83.
Girls 11yo 800m: Ohio-based runner Kendyll Dent secured the win in a time of 2:34.68, while Lucy Cramer was second in 2:35.35 and Morgan Means was third in 2:37.44.
Boys 11yo 800m: It was a crazy sprint to the finish in this race, as Kalamazoo's (MI) Samuel Baker claimed the win in 2:21.41. Ashton Mitchell was second in 2:22.35 and Dean Lozano was third in 2:22.99.
Girls 12yo 800m: Chalk up another national title for Chester Cheetah's (PA) Damira Allen, who secured the win in 2:20.10, her latest victory in what has been a very successful youth career thus far. Michailyn Rose was second in 2:23.07 and Elizabeth Williamson was third in 2:23.68 after winning the 3K earlier in the day.
Boys 12yo 800m: A mad dash to the finish saw Elijah Price claim the top prize in a winning time of 2:18.17, while Jayden Taylor was second in 2:18.82 and Julian Sanders was third in 2:19.73.
Girls 14yo LJ: Grace Smith claimed her first national title of week on Wednesday with an impressive wind-legal mark, going 18-3.25. Chelsi Williams finished second with a mark of 17-8 and Juliana Balon was third at 17-7.
Boys 14yo LJ: Jason Woods captured the win with a mark of 20-3, while Shaddai Carter was second in 19-8.25 and Alec Reed was third with a mark of 19-0.75.
Girls 12yo Discus: Zoey Hubert claimed victory with a mark of 86-3 with the 1kg implement.
Girls 10yo Shot put: Laila Jones was just three feet shy of the national record, heaving a final throw of 31-3.75. And this was her fourth straight AAU Junior Olympic Games title. Kennedy Cason was second with a mark of 28-3.75.
Boys 10yo Shot put: Trace Calhoun secured a win with a mark of 35-8.
Girls 17-18 LJ: Nadia Collins released off the board for a very impressive winning mark of 19-6.25, which was nearly a foot farther than second-place Brianna Utecht (18-7.75). Brianna Brand was third with a nearly identical mark of 18-7.25.
Boys 17-18 LJ: Tallahassee Leon completed the sweep in the long jump, with Curtis Williams scoring a winning-mark of 23-10.75. Dunbar's Leonard Mustari was second in 23-6.25 and pre-meet favorite Jaden Price-Whitehead was third with a jump of 22-11.75.
Boys 12yo Discus: Jackson Cantwell, the son of Olympic throwers Teri and Christian, earned a win in his first event of the week on Wednesday, securing incredibly dominant mark of 131-3, which was just six feet shy of the national record and 30 feet farther than the second-place competitor.
Girls 11yo Shot put: Joniah Holson secured the win with a mark of 30-6.25.
Boys 11yo Sho put: Harrison Hickox won with a throw fo 33-1.25.
Girls 9yo LJ: A wild first day of action saw Kennedy McCarter earn wins in the 800m (see above) and in the long jump, where she secured a top mark of 13-11.50. Kniyah Cook was second with a jump of 13-2.25 and Alaiyah Choice was third with a mark of 12-8.75.
Boys 9yo LJ: Amaury Mitchell was first with a throw of 12-7.75, Tamir Kinsey took second (12-5.25) and Jonathan Johnson was third (12-0.25).
Girls 17-18 Discus: See above (lede recap item).
Girls 15-16 Shot put: Texan Carlie Weiser, of Giddings High School, claimed her latest national title, winning with a mark of 44-7.50. Mckynzie Mauney was second with an effort of 39-4.50 and Madison Sorrell was third with a throw of 38-2.75.
Boys 15-16 Shot put: Yorkville (IL) Native Kyle Clabough claimed victory with a throw of 58-1.75, which was a clear six-feet ahead of second-place Ethan Sanders (52-01). Alberto Orta finished third with a mark of 49-10.
Sadie Engelhardt, 14, Ventura Tigers, CA
Chasing a record is always difficult, regardless of how it's done. And on this day, Engelhardt entered on a mission on our own out front as she went after London Culbreath's impressive 10:02.40 mark from 2016. While the young California was just three seconds shy of achieving that milestone, finishing in a winning time of 10:05.34, sometimes half the battle is striving for a goal you've been aiming for all season. She finished 36 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. There will be many races and goals ahead for Engelhardt in the future, but Wednesday showed she has the guts to chase after the hard ones.
Highlight:
3K: 10:05.34
Day 2 action on Thursday will feature only one championship final across all divisions on the track, and that will begin in the morning with the 4x800 relay. From there, preliminary heats of the 80mH, the 100mH, the 110mH, the 100m and 400m will resume throughout the day. In the field, a long list of events will take place across Satellite Beach High School.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - Only one national record was broken on Wednesday during the first day of action at the AAU Junior Olympic Games Track and Field Championships at Satellite Beach High School.
But it didn't catch many people by surprise.
Because Shelby Frank, a recent graduate of Grand Forks Red River High School in North Dakota, entered this week knowing she could do it.
The University of Minnesota throws recruit was hoping to down the six-year-old women's 17-18 year old discus record held by Jessica Woodard, if only because her previous best throw had indicated that was talented enough to do so.
In fact, the mark of 163 feet, 11 inches was six feet shy of Frank's career best mark of 169-1.
And on Wednesday, Frank did just that, producing a winning throw and US No. 2 mark of 164-0 (49.99m) to capture the new standard at the Games. On top of her record-breaking performance, Frank was also nearly 25 feet better than second-place Leia Williams of Georgia, who finished with a mark of 139-7.
The performance also marked the 10th time Frank had hit the 160-foot threshold since 2017, when she surpassed the barrier for the first time. In 2019, she hit the marker seven times overall. Her full series on Wednesday was her first overall effort of the 2020 season.
Rebecca Merritt, of Beach City, Texas, was third with a throw of 135-9.
WEDNESDAY'S CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RECAPS:
Girls 11yo 3K: Orlando, Florida-native Claire Reburn dominated in the first race of Wednesday's action, rolling to a winning time of 11:18.73. Annie Carda was second in 11:48.45 and Victoria Zea was third in 11:50.99.
Boys 11yo 3K: A familiar face to championship races at AAU, Kieran Tyrrell ran away from his competition early on and the young Texan scored a win in 10:24.02. Samuel Baker was second in 10:52.57 and Justin Williamson was third with a time of 11:12.65.
Girls 12yo 3K: Elizabeth Williamson, a native of Southwest Florida who made the trip Wednesday from Cape Coral, capitalized early on a fast pace and secured a win in 11:08.58. Ella Willoughby followed in 12:06.92 and Keysha Mizzell was third in 12:12.12.
Boys 12yo 3K: A competitive race saw Demetrie Meyers of Haverton (PA) surpass Brandon Williams for the win, with Meyers scoring a time of 10:45.35. Williams followed in 10:51.17, while Brayton Sax was third in 11:30.37.
Girls 13yo 3K: This one came down to a photo finish at the line, though it was California-native Chiara Bonomi leaning past Charlize-Trinity McKenzie for a hard-fought win. Bonomi dropped a winning-time of 10:30.57, while McKenzie was an agonizing two-hundredths of a second back in 10:30.59. Brynn Garcia was third in 10:50.19.
Boys 13yo 3K: Aaron Keller ran through the line with a winning time of 10:00.31, Quinlan Andrews was second in 10:09.61 and Nicholas Anderson was third in 10:46.87.
Girls 14yo 3K: Sadie Engelhardt was within an earshot of a national record on Wednesday, though the Ventura, California-native came up just short, finishing three seconds shy of the mark set in 2016 by London Culbreath with a time of 10:05.34. Tiffany Sax was second in 10:41.64 and Avery Fronrath was third in 10:54.04.
Boys 14yo 3K: Just two seconds separated this battle to the finish, and it was Bellevue, Iowa resident Payton Griebel who ultimately grabbed a national title, winning in 10:03.87. Mississippi-based athlete Taylor Brown was second in 10:05.50 and Georgia's John Dodson was third in 10:09.97.
Girls 15-16 3K: A defending champion whose racing experience played dividends early on, Leander's (TX) Isabella Edwards came up with another championship win on Wednesday, winning in 10:32.04. Kiley Murphy was second in 10:55.46, while Avigail Friedel was third in 11:17.03.
Boys 15-16 3K: A young talent with impressive racing tactics, Houston Strake Jesuit's (TX) Reese Vannerson bided his time across seven-plus laps before making one final move with 200 meters to go. The Sugar Land native passed Grayson Kennedy en route to the finish in 9:15.47. This was Vannerson's first 3K title since 2017 when he scored a triple in the 3K, 1,500m and 800m. Kennedy followed in 9:16.81, while Noah Espeleta was third in 9:35.45.
Girls 17-18 3K: Kambry Smith found her winning form in the final laps and claimed a national title in 10:31.04. Macy Schelp was second in 10:37.09 while Zoie Kiddy was third in 10:46.77.
Boys 17-18 3K: Joshua Stern was the only boys athlete in this division to break 9 minutes, posting a finishing time of 8:57.16. Immanuel Edwards was second in 9:09.52 while Mathew Olech was third in 9:14.17.
Boys 15-16 400mH: The rain came at an inopportune time for Tamaal Myers, who aspired to break Robert Griffin III's 14-year-old national record of 51.77. While that was not meant to be, Myers led from start to finish and claimed an impressive final time of 53.66 seconds. Kendrick Smallwood was second in 54.59 while Tyler Moore was third in 54.85.
Boys 17-18 400mH: While Greater Houston's (TX) Bryce McCray didn't have the perfect race, he dug hard in the final meters to still manage a personal record effort of 52.36 seconds -- showing that there's much more in the cards for the Texan in the future. Joseph Morrone was second in 54.54 seconds and Mario Paul was third in 55.66.
Girls 15-16 400mH: North Carolinan Falon Spearman captured an overall win with a time of 1:01.62, while Sanaa Hebron was second in 1:04.12 and Jayla Wilson was third in 1:08.15.
Boys 17-18 400mH: Michaela Rose found herself in Lane 8 on Wednesday -- which, to be honest, was not the greatest starting position. It meant that the Virginia-native was all alone on the outside, that she would have to trust her instincts from the gun and drive without being able to chase anyone. Rose ultimately overcame that position, though, putting forth an impressive performance as she became the only girl to run under 60 seconds on the day with a winning time of 59.00. The race marked her second straight championship in the 400mH. Eddiyah Frye was second in 1:03.90 and Mackenzie Sullivan was third in 1:04.14.
Girls 8&Under 800m: Chester Cheetahs athlete Melodi Ashford secured a championship win with a finishing time of 2:44.32. Ava Takeuchi was second in 2:53.69 while Jacayla Obas was third in 2:53.80.
Boys 8&Under 800m: It was crowded in the front of this race, until Homestead's (FL) Marcus Ford broke away and took the win in 2:39.45. King Hamilton was second in 2:41.55 and Cyprian Reid was third in 2:41.78.
Girls 9yo 800m: In a photo finish, Wichita Falls, Texas' Kennedy McCarter secured the win in 2:44.19, while Ayris Hutson followed shortly after in 2:44.84. Anna Vest was third in 2:57.02.
Boys 9yo 800m: One of California's most promising youngster, Victor Jaimez-Solorio, was just two seconds off the national record as he won the race in an impressive 2:21.09. Prince-Terry Kemp was second in 2:39.37 and Kentwann Wooten was third in 2:42.77.
Girls 10yo 800m: Anaiah Berry authored a win in this race, finishing in a time of 2:29.39, while Molly Cramer followed in second (2:39.73) and Madison Reese was third in 2:43.32.
Boys 10yo 800m: In his very first track and field race .... ever ... Cape Coral-based (FL) Kai Nesfield unloaded a lethal kick in the final moments to win in 2:29.39, edging past second-place Braylon McQueen, who was second in 2:29.42. Quincey McLean was third in 2:34.83.
Girls 11yo 800m: Ohio-based runner Kendyll Dent secured the win in a time of 2:34.68, while Lucy Cramer was second in 2:35.35 and Morgan Means was third in 2:37.44.
Boys 11yo 800m: It was a crazy sprint to the finish in this race, as Kalamazoo's (MI) Samuel Baker claimed the win in 2:21.41. Ashton Mitchell was second in 2:22.35 and Dean Lozano was third in 2:22.99.
Girls 12yo 800m: Chalk up another national title for Chester Cheetah's (PA) Damira Allen, who secured the win in 2:20.10, her latest victory in what has been a very successful youth career thus far. Michailyn Rose was second in 2:23.07 and Elizabeth Williamson was third in 2:23.68 after winning the 3K earlier in the day.
Boys 12yo 800m: A mad dash to the finish saw Elijah Price claim the top prize in a winning time of 2:18.17, while Jayden Taylor was second in 2:18.82 and Julian Sanders was third in 2:19.73.
Girls 14yo LJ: Grace Smith claimed her first national title of week on Wednesday with an impressive wind-legal mark, going 18-3.25. Chelsi Williams finished second with a mark of 17-8 and Juliana Balon was third at 17-7.
Boys 14yo LJ: Jason Woods captured the win with a mark of 20-3, while Shaddai Carter was second in 19-8.25 and Alec Reed was third with a mark of 19-0.75.
Girls 12yo Discus: Zoey Hubert claimed victory with a mark of 86-3 with the 1kg implement.
Girls 10yo Shot put: Laila Jones was just three feet shy of the national record, heaving a final throw of 31-3.75. And this was her fourth straight AAU Junior Olympic Games title. Kennedy Cason was second with a mark of 28-3.75.
Boys 10yo Shot put: Trace Calhoun secured a win with a mark of 35-8.
Girls 17-18 LJ: Nadia Collins released off the board for a very impressive winning mark of 19-6.25, which was nearly a foot farther than second-place Brianna Utecht (18-7.75). Brianna Brand was third with a nearly identical mark of 18-7.25.
Boys 17-18 LJ: Tallahassee Leon completed the sweep in the long jump, with Curtis Williams scoring a winning-mark of 23-10.75. Dunbar's Leonard Mustari was second in 23-6.25 and pre-meet favorite Jaden Price-Whitehead was third with a jump of 22-11.75.
Boys 12yo Discus: Jackson Cantwell, the son of Olympic throwers Teri and Christian, earned a win in his first event of the week on Wednesday, securing incredibly dominant mark of 131-3, which was just six feet shy of the national record and 30 feet farther than the second-place competitor.
Girls 11yo Shot put: Joniah Holson secured the win with a mark of 30-6.25.
Boys 11yo Sho put: Harrison Hickox won with a throw fo 33-1.25.
Girls 9yo LJ: A wild first day of action saw Kennedy McCarter earn wins in the 800m (see above) and in the long jump, where she secured a top mark of 13-11.50. Kniyah Cook was second with a jump of 13-2.25 and Alaiyah Choice was third with a mark of 12-8.75.
Boys 9yo LJ: Amaury Mitchell was first with a throw of 12-7.75, Tamir Kinsey took second (12-5.25) and Jonathan Johnson was third (12-0.25).
Girls 17-18 Discus: See above (lede recap item).
Girls 15-16 Shot put: Texan Carlie Weiser, of Giddings High School, claimed her latest national title, winning with a mark of 44-7.50. Mckynzie Mauney was second with an effort of 39-4.50 and Madison Sorrell was third with a throw of 38-2.75.
Boys 15-16 Shot put: Yorkville (IL) Native Kyle Clabough claimed victory with a throw of 58-1.75, which was a clear six-feet ahead of second-place Ethan Sanders (52-01). Alberto Orta finished third with a mark of 49-10.
TOP PERFORMER OF THE DAY
Sadie Engelhardt, 14, Ventura Tigers, CA
Chasing a record is always difficult, regardless of how it's done. And on this day, Engelhardt entered on a mission on our own out front as she went after London Culbreath's impressive 10:02.40 mark from 2016. While the young California was just three seconds shy of achieving that milestone, finishing in a winning time of 10:05.34, sometimes half the battle is striving for a goal you've been aiming for all season. She finished 36 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. There will be many races and goals ahead for Engelhardt in the future, but Wednesday showed she has the guts to chase after the hard ones.
Highlight:
3K: 10:05.34
WHAT'S NEXT?
Day 2 action on Thursday will feature only one championship final across all divisions on the track, and that will begin in the morning with the 4x800 relay. From there, preliminary heats of the 80mH, the 100mH, the 110mH, the 100m and 400m will resume throughout the day. In the field, a long list of events will take place across Satellite Beach High School.
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