Several top track and field athletes from the St. Louis area spent last weekend in Eugene, Oregon to participate in the United States Track and Field Junior National meet at historic Hayward Field.
The Junior Nationals brought together the top track athletes in the USA under the age of 20. It was a mix of top high school athletes and collegiate freshmen. The top qualifiers earn a spot in the upcoming World Junior Championships, which will also be held in Eugene in late July.
The St. Louis area was represented well in Oregon last weekend. Former Cardinal Ritter College Prep star Charles Jones finished in fourth place in the 800-meter run. Jones posted a time of 1 minute 49.54 seconds. The three-time Class 3 state-champion in the 800 will be headed to Texas Tech in the fall.
Cahokia High junior jumping phenom Ja’Mari Ward placed in both the long jump and triple jump. Ward finished fifth in the triple jump with an effort of 50 feet. He finished seventh in the long jump with a leap of 24 feet 6 ½ inches. These are tremendous marks for an athlete who just completed his sophomore season in high school.
Former Cleveland High sprinter Mike Wells advanced to the finals of the 100-meter dash and finished in fifth place with a time of 10.49 seconds. Wells is headed to Oklahoma University.
Brentwood High junior Sophia Rivera had a very productive weekend as she finished fourth in the javelin throw and fifth in the shot put. Rivera threw the javelin 157 feet and the shot put 47 feet 2 inches.
Former Wentzville Holt standout Nataliyah Friar finished fifth in the long jump with an effort of 20-5. Friar just completed her freshman season at perennial women’s track powerhouse LSU.
Former Highland High standout Lena Giger finished fourth in the hammer throw with an effort of 178 feet 6 inches. Giger is headed to Stanford in the fall. Â Junior hurdler William Session of Belleville East finished ninth in the 110-meter high hurdles. Former Collinsville standout Martinus Mitchell finished in 16th place in the shot put.
Former McCluer High hurdles standout Shaelyn Grant advanced to the finals of the 400-meter hurdles, where she finished in eighth place. Grant is headed to Northern Illinois University after spending her freshman season at Texas Tech. Current McCluer standout Lydia Harold just missed the finals of the 200-meter dash, but she turned in a time of 24.56 in the qualifying rounds.
