Sara Benson finished as the Region X USATF JO champion in the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:02.95. Photo by Alan Versaw.
The USATF Junior Olympic Region X Championship returned to Colorado soil and the Colorado contingent responded with a number of national qualifiers. Hosted at the Thunder Bowl on the campus of Colorado State University-Pueblo the meet had little of the oppressive summer heat which Pueblo has in abundance. Rather, it was four days of mostly very pleasant conditions for track and field at a very nice facility.
If anyone thinks Mary Elizabeth Sant isn't going to make an impact on the girls sprint scene in Colorado next spring, think again. Sant won the intermediate girls 100 with a time of 12.25 (-1.1), nearly a quarter second ahead of second.
Elsewhere of note in intermediate girls, Gina Hauptman (800, 1500), Megan Patterson (Shot Put and Hammer Throw), and GinAsia Hamilton (200, 400) were double event winners. Sydney Scott nearly pulled off the double, winning the 3000, but finishing second in the 1500. Danielle Williams had a spectacular 39-6 in the triple jump, but the absence of a wind reading precludes this one being recorded as an official mark.
Among the intermediate boys, Taylor Anders was the only double event winner from Colorado, taking both the 3000 and the 2000 steeplechase. Daniel Weirich was very close, winning the shot put and finishing second in the shot put. Charles Rappe won the 110 hurdles, but finished third in the 400 hurdles.
Kadeshia Rose was the sole double event winner for Colorado among the young women. Rose swept the 200 and 400 meter dashes.
Colorado multi-event specialists had a better time of it however, as Brittany Lewis won the heptathlon and Kobi Rex the decathlon. There were no double winners among Colorado's young men entrants.
The national Junior Olympic meet will be held in Sacramento, CA, from July 27 through August 1.