Contact: Mark Winitz
Pacific Association/USATF Feature Stories and News Manager
Tel: (650) 948-0618 Direct

 

FOLSOM, Calif. - July 16, 2008 - Kenneth Walker of Oakley, Calif. led a number of young Pacific Association/USA Track & Field (PA/USATF) athletes who set association records at the USA Track & Field (USATF) Region 14 Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships, held July 11-13 at Laney College (Oakland, Calif.) and Granada High School (Livermore, Calif.). Junior Olympic (JO) competition is conducted in age groups starting at ages 10 and under through ages 17-18.

The 14-year-old Walker, who competes for ISC International track club, set new PA/USATF records* in both the Youth Boys division 100 meter hurdles and 200 meter hurdles events. His winning mark of 13.54 seconds for the 100m hurdles eclipsed the previous PA/USATF standard by 8/10ths of a second. Over the 200m hurdles, Walker's win in 24.28 topped the previous PA/USATF record of 25.50.

The following additional PA/USATF division records* for individuals were set at the Region 14 JO Championship meet:

Bantam Girls 800 Meter Run
Nyela Cade, age 9, Oakland, Calif., 3M Track Club 2 minutes, 33.30 seconds (previous record: 2:33.71)

Bantam Girls 1,500 Meter Race Walk
Caitlin Palacio, age 10, San Jose, Calif., Unattached 8 minutes, 30.04 seconds (previous record: 8:49.65)

Youth Girls 400 Meter Dash
Iesha Hardiman, age 13, Santa Clara, Calif, ISC International 56.29 seconds (previous record: 56.44)

Youth Girls 100 Meter Hurdles
Trinity Wilson, age 13, Oakland, East Oakland Youth Development Center 14.18 seconds (previous record: 14.32)

Youth Girls Outdoor Pentathlon (100m hurdles, shot put, high jump, long jump, 800m)
Melanie Speech, age 14, San Francisco, City Track Club 2,858 points (previous record: 2,848)

Young Women's 2,000 Meter Steeplechase
Alison Motor, age 17, Sacramento, Pacific United Track Club 7 minutes, 53.43 seconds (previous record: 8:52:00) Note: 2nd and 3rd placers Catherine Crisp (17, Sacramento, 8:21.1), and Rebekah Phillips (17, Santa Clara, 8:31.89) also went under the previous record.

In addition, the following PA/USATF relay records* were broken at the meet:

Bantam Girls 4x100 Meter Relay
3M Track Club (Contra Costa and Alameda Counties) 54.66 seconds (previous record: 54.77)
Relay Team Members: Nyela Cade (age 9, Oakland), Jowhari Hill (age 10, Oakland), Nyela Jones (age 10, Berkeley, Calif.), Sarahvaughn King (age 9, Oakland)

Bantam Girls 4x400 Meter Relay
3M Track Club (Contra Costa and Alameda Counties) 4 minutes 22.00 seconds (previous record: 4:22.30)
Relay Team Members: Ashanti Johnson (age 10, Oakland), Nyela Cade (age 9, Oakland), Jowhari Hill (age 10, Oakland), Nyela Jones (age 10, Berkeley, Calif.)

Young Women's 4x100 Meter Relay
Flying Jaguars 46.31 seconds (previous record: 46.48)
Relay Team Members: Breionna Jackson (age 17, Vacaville, Calif.), Monikkia White (age 17, Vallejo, Calif.), Amber Purvis (age 18, Antioch, Calif.), Leslie Reed (age 17, Antioch)

The top three finishers in each track and field event at the Region 14 Championships qualified for the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships (July 22-27, Omaha, Neb.), where over 6,000 qualified athletes from throughout the U.S. will participate

Athletes qualified for the regional meet by finishing in the top eight of their events at either the Pacific Association/USATF (PA/USATF) or Central California Association/USATF Junior Olympic Championship meets held last month.

Dating back to the mid-1960's, the USATF Junior Olympic program is the most visible youth athlete developmental program in the world. Nearly 70,000 youth athletes compete each year in Junior Olympic Track & Field and Cross Country programs. Many of America's Olympians began as youth athletes, including stars such as Maurice Greene, Allyson Felix, Bryan Clay, John Godina, Deena Kastor, and Allen Johnson.

Pacific Association Information

Complete USATF Region 14 JO Championship results

USATF is the National Governing Body for track and field, long distance running, and race walking in the United States. The Pacific Association is the largest member association of USATF, and serves northern California and northwestern Nevada. Youth athletes comprise about 3,000 (50 percent) of the association's approximately 6,000 members, which is the largest youth member base among USATF's 57 geographic associations throughout the U.S.

* Only PA/USATF member athletes and clubs are eligible for PA/USATF records. All records are pending PA/USATF ratification.

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