The USATF Junior Track and Field Championships as always, was one to remember. It got off to an amazing start on Friday, with already a handful on athletes making the U.S. team before the night was over.

Our very own girls from South and Central Florida, made the trip all the way to California to compete for a spot on the U.S. national team. As the competition has come to a close, let’s recap how these girls did this weekend.

Caitlin Collier - Bolles HS (Sophomore)

Caitlin Collier, who has been making waves all season, gave a strong effort in the women's 800-meter final, finishing sixth in 2:06.54.

Running a new personal-best of 2:04.89 two days prior in the prelims, Collier was in a fast-paced race from start to finish, being taken through by a strong group of girls, including Sammy Watson and Aaliyah Miller.

Collier's 2:04.89 is the fastest ever 800m run ever recorded by a Florida prep girl which follows on the heels of her fastest ever 1500m (4:19.05) at the adidas Dream 1500/Mile last weekend in Boston.

It's not known if Collier will choose to run more meets this outdoor season or if she'll shut it down and prepare for the upcoming cross country season, but what an amazing season this young lady has had. If this was her last race, it certainly was a great one."

Kayla Johnson - Southridge HS (Senior)

Johnson recently ran the 400m at New Balance Outdoor Nationals, leading most people to believe she’d focus on her speed and run the 400m at trials this weekend. But, she switched it up and decided to run both the 800m and the 400m. Coming into the competition having a 2:09.60 personal best, running that again, it would have given her close to what she needed to make the final.  Unfortunately, Johnson didn’t run her best time, finishing 21st running 2:16.15.

However, in the 400m Johnson runs a personal best 53.65 giving her the 3rd fastest time moving into the finals. Her 53.65 gives her a really high shot on making the U.S. team in her second primary event. Earlier this month, Kayla got disqualified from the 400m at New Balance Nationals, and in the finals of the 400m the struggle with her making slight lane violations continued. Johnson got disqualified in the final, taking away her chance of making the U.S. team.

Symone Mason – Southridge (Senior)

Mason only focused on two events, running the 400m and the 200m. In the 400m dash, Mason was one of the first two girls out of the final running 54.16. Obviously not her best time in the 400m, but she regrouped well having to run the 200m dash as well.

In the 200m Mason ran 23.68 to qualify for the finals going in with the 5th fastest time. In the 200m final, she placed 4th running 23.85, again just missing out on the U.S. Junior team.

Jordan Fields – South Carolina, Creekside HS

Fields won the World Youth trials heptathlon last year with 5,280 to make it to the international competition.

To start off her competition Fields ran 14.13 in the 100mh earning 960 points. In the shot put, Fields placed 14th with a throw of 28-03 in scoring 416 points. The fourth event of the day was the 200m, Fields ran 25.56 to get 3rd in her heat, and 7th overall; she scored 836 points to end the day. Fields’ day started off with the long jump on Sunday.

Fields only got one jump throughout the entire competition, as she fouled her last two jumps. She jumped 18-01 in to score 703 points. In the javelin, Fields seemed to struggle, fouling all of her throws and scoring no points.

In the final event of the competition, Fields got 3rd place in the 800m to score 785 points, while running 2:22.57. In the overall competition Fields placed 11th scoring 4,542 sadly, not making the U.S. team.

Honorable Florida Fast Alumni Mention

Teahna Daniels – University of Texas, First Academy (Orlando)

Daniels the former 1A state champion, just finished with a pretty up and down first collegiate season. She won the NCAA DI Indoor National title in the 60m, later to get injured to compete on and off during the outdoor season; while just missing out making it to nationals in the 100m. Last year Daniels was on the Pan-American Junior U.S. Team, taking 3rd in the 100m at the Pan-American Junior Athletics Championships. Finally being able to be consistently healthy, Daniels had been preparing for trials right after NCAA DI Nationals. At the World Junior Trials this year, Daniels just missed out on the 100m final by hundredths of seconds, running 11.61 and placing 9th.

LaKayla Harris – University of Nebraska, Miami Northwestern

Harris was a top contender in the 100m and 200m in 4A at her time with the all winning Miami Northwestern Bulls. Her freshman year in the Big Ten ended off very well, placing 8th at the Big 10 championships in the 200m, and make it NCAA West prelims. Saturday in the 200m, Harris won her heat of the 200m running a new personal best of 23.52 to make it to the final on Sunday. Sunday in the 200m finals, Harris just missed making the U.S. team, placing 3rd and running 23.44, to top her personal best from the day before.