Whittaker's Record-Breaking 1:59.04 Highlights Busy Day As U20 Meet Concludes

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

EUGENE, Ore. – Juliette Whittaker and Roisin Willis spent the week hanging out in Eugene, far from home and waiting between weekends for the USATF U20 Championships to come around. 

So many of their best moments in high school have come together, despite living a time zone apart, Whittaker in Maryland and Willis in Wisconsin. 

On Sunday in the finals of the women's 800 meters, with U.S. uniforms on the line, together they pushed it. 

They went through 400 meters in 59 seconds and then Whittaker pushed even harder, leaving Willis behind as she chased after history. Running with her trademark efficiency and confidence culled from big-race experience, Whittaker broke Mary Cain's national high school record (1:59.51) with 1 minute, 59.04 seconds. 

Willis, who already ranked No. 3 all-time, was behind her in 2:00.32. 

"I don't think it sunk quite in, yet. It definitely surpassed my goals for the day," Whittaker said. "I was really just looking for top-two, so to break that record means a lot. I've looked up to Mary Cain for a while now, and she's inspired me a lot and kind of paved the way for us."

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Willis, who will be her teammate at Stanford in the fall, was thrilled for her friend.

"She's been capable of it for so long, I knew it was coming," Willis said. 

The final day of the U.S. U20 meet included finals in 21 events on a sunny afternoon with temperatures pushing past 90 degrees at Hayward Field. 

The meet served to select a U.S. team that will compete at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia, Aug. 1-6. 

Addy Wiley from Huntington North IN, who planned her entire season around making the U.S. team and competing in Colombia, was the class of the women's 1,500 meters and led wire to wire to win in 4:15.53. 

"It feels so good, it's just a dream come true," Wiley said. "Representing USA is all I've wanted since I was young and this year became my reality. There's been a lot of hard work and long workouts that made me really uncomfortable, sometimes questioning why this was my goal. So now this is the fun part, seeing my dream come true."

Mia Barnett of Virginia was second in 4:20.86.

Nathan Green from Washington, who was seventh at the NCAA Division 1 Championships two weeks ago, was able to dominate the field in the men's 1,500 meters and won it in 3:45.19. Luke Tewalt from Wake Forest took second in 3:47.62.

In an exciting women's 200-meter final, University of South Carolina freshman Jayla Jamison was able to catch Lake Oswego's sophomore phenom Mia Brahe-Pedersen on the straightaway and won it in 22.93 to 22.98. It was Brahe-Pedersen's first sub-23 and it gave her a second event on the U.S. team after taking second in the 100 meters Friday. 

Jordan Anthony, a future member of the Kentucky football and track teams, blitzed the men's 200 meters with a 20.35 with a legal +2.0 wind. Brandon Miller from Grand Valley State was second in 20.47.

Kate Peters gave Lake Oswego High a second U.S. team member when she won the women's 3,000 meters in 9:34.78. Peters led throughout and Analee Weaver of Utah State doubled back from her 5,000-meter victory Thursday to take second in 9:41.65. 

Georgetown's Lucas Guerra won the men's 3,000 meters in 8:19.36 and Crater OR junior Tyrone Gorze showed his mettle once again by coming back from his 5,000 victory Thursday and taking second in 8:21.03. Gorze said he would give up his spot in the 3,000 and focus on the 5,000 at the World U20 Championships.

Union Catholic NJ sophomore Jimmy Wischusen was third in 8:23.32 was third but unsure if he would be able to go with the team because he doesn't have the standard. 

Amanda Moll and Hana Moll, twin sisters from Olympia, Wash., made the U.S. team in the women's pole vault, but there was a serious risk that one might make the team and the other would be left at home. 

Hana Moll fell to third place behind Olivia Lueking of Oklahoma when she missed her first attempt at 14-1.25 (4.30m) and then passed to 14-3.25 (4.35m) and missed again. It came down to a single, final attempt, on a new pole, and she made it to move back into second. 

"There were a lot of factors that built up against me, and I'm really glad I cleared that bar," Hana said. 

Amanda was feeling the pressure, too. 

"I was probably more nervous than I am on third attempts," she said. "It was definitely a big dream of mine, going into this meet, to be able to compete (on the U.S. team) with Hana, because she's always there with me. I would have felt a little bit alone if I wasn't out there with her."

In the men's javelin, Monmouth University's Evan Niedrowski threw 231-7 (70.58) to win the event and had the five farthest throws of the competiton. 

Solomon Washington of Texas (50-9.50w) and Floyd Whitaker of Minnesota (50-4.50) were the only jumpers to go past 50 feet in the triple jump and went 1-2 to make the team. 

Oregon freshman Harper McClain won the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase in 10:23.35 and New York prep Karrie Baloga (Cornwall Central) was second with 10:27.13.

Miles Brown from Michigan beat Sam Rodman from Princeton in a very close men's 800 meters final, 1:50.90 to 1:50.91. High school star Will Sumner had a rare off day and finished last in 2:02.39 to conclude a long season.

Four jumpers all made 5-11.25 and not got over the next bar at 6-0.50 in the women's long jump. Miracle Ailes from Iowa Western Community College won the compettion with the cleanest sheet at earlier heights and Cascade High (Turner, Ore.) graduate Emma Gates finished second. 

In the women's shot put, Amelia Flynt from Cal won the title with 51-0.75 (15.55m) and Texas' Chrystal Herpin was a close second with 50-11 (15.52m). 

Mekenze Kelley from Coastal Carolina, inspired by the spectacular success of her teammate Melissa Jefferson the night before, won the women's 400 meters in 52.10 seconds. Zaya Akins, a junior from Raytown South in Missouri, was second in 52.90. 

Akala Garrett from Harding University HS in North Carolina won her second national title in two weekends at Hayward Field, running 57.47 for the U20 title a week after running 57.46 at Nike Outdoor Nationals.  Michaela Rose of LSU finished second to secure a team berth with 58.30 after doubling back from the 800, where she was third behind Whittaker and Willis in 2:06.71.

Kody Blackwood from McKinney North TX, a Texas recruit, won the men's 400 hurdles in 50.62 seconds, lowering his personal best by three seconds. Yan Vazquez of the Arizona Flames TC was second in 50.95 seconds. 

Suzan Ogunleye from Pflugerville Hendricksen TX outdueled Agur Dwol from Mullen CO in a meeting of the top high school triple jumpers in the country. Ogunleye got a first jump of 42-11.50w (13.09m) and it held up as the winner. Dwol's best was 41-9.75 (12.74m). 

In a men's discus competition where the top three were separated by four inches, Desmond Coleman from Liberty University won it with 197-2 (60.10m), ahead of Kevin Grubbs from Sam Houston State (196-11/60.02m) and Ridge Estes of Wichita State (196-10/60.00m).

Bryce Lentz from Air Force won the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase in 8:58.46. Peter Visser from Weber State was second in 9:02.07.