Thursday action at the US Junior National meet was limited mostly to Heptathalon and Decathlon events
but two new champions were crowned. Shelbi Vaughn of Texas, although a prep competitor, claimed the national
title in the Discus Throw. Going according to her normal plan of action and making sure, that her first effort was a
good one and then going from there, Shelbi tossed the discus 50.43 (165-5). that initial mark was good enough to
secure a victory. Jessica Sharbono of Colorado earned second with a heave of 48.01 on her fourth throw to take
second, while Jessica Maroszek of Kansas garnered third with 47.99. Tremanisha Taylor of North Carolina State
narrowly missed a spot on the awards stand with with effort of 47.96. Lissette Mendivil, a prep thrower from
California, finished 13th with 38.69.
The Junior Men's Javelin Throw proved to be quite interesting, as Derek Eager of UCLA threw first and set the
first round pace with a heave of 66.16. Sean Keller, a junior from Heritage high School in Vancouver, Wa. threw
seccond in the next round of tosses and reached 67.05. The mark remained the standard for the day until Eager,
the last challenger remaining to throw, uncorked a toss of 69.22 (227-1), which earned the victory. Although Keller
had one final throw he could not top Eager and with that went the championship. Quinn Hale went 63.42 to
finish third & Kaleb Zuldema was nipped after his toss of 63.34.
The competion in the Senior Women's Shot Put may well have been the finest ever, because Michelle Carter &
Jillian Cameron went back and forth with lead challenges. In the end they had recorded the third and fourth best
marks in american history and the eveness of their competition was easily evidenced, for Carter won with 19.86m
while Cameron was credited with 19.85. Sarah Stevens Walker took third with 18.12. Stephanie Brown Trafton
claimed the Senior Disccus title with her toss of 63.35, while Aretha Thrumond (62.87) & Gia Lewis-Smallwood (60.53)
secured second and third respectively.
Shalane Flanagan took the lead in the Women's 10K essentially from the start and had opened up a ten meter
lead over Jen Rhines and kara Goucher after one-and-a-half laps. While Goucher's coach alberto Salazar could be
heard shouting "back off" Flanagan proceeded to take a commanding lead. Her early laps of 73,74.3 & 73.4 may
have given way to splits of 75 but she inexorably pulled well aheadof any would be challengers. From the point
onward the race for first was essentially over and she never ran a lap over 76 seconds. Showing she had more in the
tank Shalane finished the race with splits of 72.1 & 67 and she cruised to victory in a fine time of 30:59.97. The race
for second saw Goucher shadowed Rhines most of the race but sped away in the final laps to earn second with
31:16. Jen Rhines, who has reprsented the US at mny distances, finished third with 31:30 and will represent the US
once again. Desiree Davila (31:37), Magdalena Lewy Boulet (31:48) & Amy Yoder Begley (32:34) secured fourth
through sixth respectively, while Sarah Porter earned ninth with 32:57.
Luke Puskedra of the University of Oregon did the bulk of the pace work but the final stampede to the finish went
to Galen Rupp in a time of 28:38.17. Matt Tegenkamp finished second with 28:39 & Scott Bauhs placed third with
28:40. Bobby Curtis just missed a US team berth with his fourth place time of 28:42. Tim Nelson (28:43) garnered
fifth ahead of former Centennial High School (Gresham, Oregon) Ryan Vail, who was timed in 28:45. Other runners
of note were Jorge Torres (13th) and Abdi Abdiraham (15th).