NORFOLK, VA -- Rising senior Tierra Brown of Hampton posted one of the fastest 100 meter hurdle times in Virginia high school history with a 13.70 clocking (0.4 legal wind) to finish third in the finals of young women age group at the AAU National Junior Olympic Games. The last Virginian to run faster in the event was Olympian medalist Latasha Colander back in 1994 in 13.30 at World Juniors in Portugual. Olympian Sheena Johnson, formerly of Gar-Field, had ran the fastest since Colander in 2000 at 13.73. 1984 Olympian gold medalist Benita Fitzgerald has the second fastest time at 13.53 in 1979, while LIsa Wells clocked a 13.57 at the 1988 US Junior Nationals as the third fastest all-time. A very elite and special class that Brown joined with her performance at Norfolk State University this weekend.
Booker T. Washington graduate Marlon Woods, who won the USATF National Junior Olympics title last weekend in Baltimore, took two more national titles in Norfolk as he cleared seven feet for the first time in the high jump to win the event, while also nearly matching his best mark in the long jump with a leap of 23\'11\". An excellent closing meet for Woods, who had a breakthrough senior season with two state titles, several All-American honors, and four national titles (Nike Indoors - high jump, USATF National JO\'s - high jump, AAU National JO\'s - high jump & long jump).
While Bethel coach Eddie Williams lost his most talented athlete ever in Francena McCorory graduating this spring, he certainly will have a star to work with in rising senior Shakia Forbes. Forbes leaped to a personal best mark of 19\'9.75\" in last week\'s USATF National Junior Olympics and nearly matched that mark this week at AAU Nationals by hitting a mark of 19\'7.75\" and took the young women\'s age group national title in the long jump.
Seton Hall University bound and recent Salem graduate Shamika Kentish took national runner-up honors in the event with a mark of 19\'1\".
With the finals of the 100 meter dash coming on Saturday, Bayside graduate Charles Clark and Matoaca rising senior Shanneka Claiborne are definitely looking in top form with the times they have posted through the first two rounds. Clark, national champion indoors and outdoors at 200 meters, will have the second fastest time coming into the young men\'s finals at 10.58.
Meanwhile, AAA 100 meter state champion Claiborne ran a huge personal best clocking of 11.66 in her semifinal heat, which she ironically finished second in but posted the second fastest time out of all the qualifying heats. Only Francena McCorory at 11.62 earlier this spring before she suffered a season ending injury had ran faster than Claiborne\'s time this year and the past several years as well. With a year of high school remaining, the time is very promising for Claiborne.
Thomas Edison\'s Devan Clark had a best throw of 163\'11 in the young men\'s discus, which was good enough for a national title in event.
Virginia swept the young men\'s throws as R.J. Wilson of Landstown was also national champion with his mark of 52\'1.75\" in the shot put.
Jamestown\'s Andrew Mearns, who figures to be the top returning runner for the AA squad in cross country after running a 9:35 3200 meter time this past spring, just missed out on winning a national championship in the 2,000 meter steeplechase as his final time of 6:20.16 put him just behind race winner Matt Baltimore of Tennessee (6:19.73).
Both Menchville hurdlers Kali Watkins and Nicole Saunders advanced to and competed in their respective hurdle finals. Watkins finished fifth in the 100 meter hurdle finals in 14.31. Saunders was also a fifth place finisher in the 400 meter hurdles at a 1:02.20 clocking with Brown\'s Hampton teammate Alyssa Pickett finishing eighth in 1:04.42.
Gloucester\'s Emily Webb posted a solid time of 7:43.43 to finish sixth in the young women\'s 2,000 meter steeplechase.
Claiborne\'s Matoaca teammate Mia Aghaji leaped to a mark of 38\'2\" to finish sixth in the young women\'s triple jump.
Rachael Clark, actually a year out of high school from Liberty in Bealton and now competing at Christopher Newport University, finished second in the shot put with a throw of 42\'1.50\" as she was still age eligible to compete in summer track.
Deep Creek\'s Krystle Matthews took sixth in the grueling heptathlon competition with a total of 4343 points.
Deshana Briggs was a rising star this year for Booker T. Washington as she was a tough challenger for the Deep Creek high jump duo of Ashley Gatling and Jonee Artis in the Eastern Region and state level this spring. An All-American at Nike Outdoor Nationals, Briggs finished tied for second in the intermediate girls\' high jump with a clearance of 5\'4\'\".
The Lautzenheiser twins, Kathleen and Leia, posted impressive 1500 times of 4:52.59 and 4:53.70 to finish third and fifth respectively in the youth girls\' division. The Lautzenheisers are incoming freshmen to an already loaded Midlothian girls\' cross country squad this fall as their 1500 times convert to 1600 meter times of 5:14 and 5:15 respectively.
More to come from AAU Nationals.
NORFOLK, VA -- Rising senior Tierra Brown of Hampton posted one of the fastest 100 meter hurdle times in Virginia high school history with a 13.70 clocking (0.4 legal wind) to finish third in the finals of young women age group at the AAU National Junior Olympic Games. The last Virginian to run faster in the event was Olympian medalist Latasha Colander back in 1994 in 13.30 at World Juniors in Portugual. Olympian Sheena Johnson, formerly of Gar-Field, had ran the fastest since Colander in 2000 at 13.73. 1984 Olympian gold medalist Benita Fitzgerald has the second fastest time at 13.53 in 1979, while LIsa Wells clocked a 13.57 at the 1988 US Junior Nationals as the third fastest all-time. A very elite and special class that Brown joined with her performance at Norfolk State University this weekend.
Booker T. Washington graduate Marlon Woods, who won the USATF National Junior Olympics title last weekend in Baltimore, took two more national titles in Norfolk as he cleared seven feet for the first time in the high jump to win the event, while also nearly matching his best mark in the long jump with a leap of 23\'11\". An excellent closing meet for Woods, who had a breakthrough senior season with two state titles, several All-American honors, and four national titles (Nike Indoors - high jump, USATF National JO\'s - high jump, AAU National JO\'s - high jump & long jump).
While Bethel coach Eddie Williams lost his most talented athlete ever in Francena McCorory graduating this spring, he certainly will have a star to work with in rising senior Shakia Forbes. Forbes leaped to a personal best mark of 19\'9.75\" in last week\'s USATF National Junior Olympics and nearly matched that mark this week at AAU Nationals by hitting a mark of 19\'7.75\" and took the young women\'s age group national title in the long jump.