It may not be a direct route, and some will take a different direction, but the traditional OUTdoor season opener in the United States--the Texas Relays--is always a good road map to follow if you're heading to Eugene for the World Championship Trials (aka USATF Championships) in just 3 months time!
Sadly, this year's edition was again subject to the usual strong winds that often spoil the fast sprints that abound there!
First, however, a few other early season marks!
On March 18th, also in Texas, Valarie Allman let fly her Discus 223-6 to open her season!
In Arizona, Athing Mu also flew--around 600 meters of track--in 1:24.13!!
Another 200 at the same pace would bring her in under the 800 World Record!!
Avi Wilson-Perteete came 2nd in 1:28.02!
Fred Kerley ran one of his three "specialties"--hitting the line in 20.04 over half a lap!
The Texas A&M Men's 4 X 400 team ran their OUTdoor opener in 3:01.51!
The Women's team hit the line in 3:28.79!
If Cooper Teare and Cole Hocker were bicycle racers, they'd be riding tandem!!
At Stanford, Teare won the 5000 in 13:06.73, making him 19th A-T US!
Hocker wasn't far behind, his 13:08.55 making him 22nd A-T US!!
A pair of Caribbean nations had good marks to offer!
Ryan Sanchez got the Puerto Rico National Record with his 1:13.99 over 600 meters!
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, normally a hurdler, sprinted a 200 in 22.27 for the win!
Marileidy Paulino was 2nd in 22.70, but she got the National Record of the Dominican Republic!
Steven Gardiner took the 200 in a good 20.28!
In Cuba, Rose Almanza won the 800 in 1:58.60, not bad for March!!
On the Road, Rhonex Kipruto won the NYC Half in 60:30, beating the 60:37 by Ed Cheserek!
Shadrack Kipchirchir was first American, his 4th place 61:16 making him 19th A-T US!
The Women were led by Senbere Teferi's 67:35!
Irene Cheptai was 2nd in 67:37.
Back in 5th came Lindsay Flanagan, whose 69:50 makes her 22nd A-T US!!
A trio of strong HS marks also preceded the Texas Relays!
Rheinhardt Harrison opened with an 800 in 1:50.12 in California!
Also in California, but in that abomination they call the 3200, Sadie Englehardt timed 10:00.60 to transition from INdoors to OUTdoors!
Too bad it counts for nothing re records or lists!!
And Jordan Anthony sped over 200 meters in 20.52!
That was in Georgia!
The Texas Relays got an early 100 mark that gave indication the wind might not be a factor!
Ben Azamati sprinted his 100 heat in 9.90!!
It's the Texas Relays Meet Record, and makes him 4th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!!
Another Meet Record--in the Men's 4 X 400 Relay--went to the Tiger Olympians, time of 2:59.73!
Leo Neugebauer won the Decathlon with 8131 points!
Tripp Piperi's opening Shot (in the SP, of course!) was 70-8, giving him the Meet Record!
It makes him 13th A-T Collegiate!
Sondre Guttormsen picked up where he left off INdoors, flying over 18-10.25 in the PV!
This makes him 15th A-T Collegiate, tied with 3 others!
Vernon Turner HJ'ed 7-6.50!
Curtis Thompson took the JT with 263-11, but it was 2nd placer Zach Holland who got the Junior College Record with his 258-6!
I don't normally report wind-aided times, but these cry out for attention!
Gabby Thomas flew over 200 meters in 21.69--with the assistance of a 3.1 wind!
Tamara Clark was right behind with 21.72!!
The Women's USA Red team got a 50.26 anchor from Athing Mu to time out in 3:24.60!
Celera Barnes got a friendly wind of 2.8 to push her to a 10.82 in her 100 heat!
She took the final in 11.07!
Alia Armstrong also got an illegal wind to win the 100H in 12.33--still a great time despite the 2.5 breeze!
Britton Wilson wasn't a known factor in the 400H prior to her heat time of 54.65!!
Then she went and improved on that with her final of 54.37!
This makes her suddenly 10th A-T Collegiate!!
The Women's Pole Vault had good depth!
Bridget Williams (formerly Guy) won it with 15-5!
Also over that height was Emily Grove, whose 15-5 makes her 9th A-T US, tied with 5 others!
In 3rd was Kat Stefanidi's 15-3!
Lisa Gunnarsson also topped 15-3, making her 4th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!
A newcomer (at least to me!) named Gabriela Leon took 5th, her 14-11 clearance making her 14th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!
In the heats of the Women's 4 X 100 Relay, Texas's 42.42 made them 6th A-T School!
Behind them came Texas Tech's 43.11 in 3rd, making them 16th A-T School!
Texas won the final in 42.83!
Texas also won the 4 X 200, their 1:29.03 nabbing the Meet Record!
Yet another Texas team got yet another Relay Meet Record, their 3:22.94 making them 2nd A-T School in the 4 X 400!
Texas A&M was 2nd in 3:23.30!
Charokee Young's 3rd leg was timed in a fantastic 48.97!!
Arkansas was far behind, but their 3:26.40 was also worth noting!
The Texas Relays bring out the best from Texas-located teams, and this edition was no exception!
The Women's Sprint Medley Relay saw an exciting finish lead to a crash landing for A&M's anchor!
She was behind coming onto the last straight, but literally dove past Texas's anchor to win, and get the Collegiate Record, their time of 3:28.93 nipping Texas's 3:28.95!!
It served also as the Meet Record!
Another MR went to Texas's DMR team, their 10:59.91 making them 14th A-T School!
LSU took 2nd, their 11:02.45 making them 20th A-T School!
Lamara Distin--coming off a strong INdoor season--took the HJ with her 6-5, also a Meet Record!
She now ranks 5th A-T Collegiate, tied with 2 others!
Anna Hall showed she'll be a factor in Eugene's USATF meet (assuming she tries for the team!!), scoring 6412 points in the Heptathlon!
It's the Meet Record and the Soph Class Record!!
She ranks 4th A-T Collegiate, and 14th A-T US!!
The Collegiate section of the Women's PV went to Olivia Leuking's 14-7.25!
But the High School event was extra special!!
Amanda Moll--she of the amazing Moll twins--soared over 14-9.50 for a new High School Record!!
It's also the Junior Class Record!
In their "battle" for dominance in the Twins PV War, Amanda's 14-9.50 combined with twin Hana Moll's previous 14-4 to get them to a total of 29-1.50!
The former Weeks twins total is 28-8.50!!
Lexi Jacobus went over 14-7.50, while twin Tori Hoggard cleared 14-1!
Those marks were and are all in-season OUTdoor marks!
However, Hana No Heighted at the Texas Relays!!
Taking 2nd was Molly Haywood, her 14-0 clearance making her 16th A-T HS, tied with a whopping 8 others!
But she also fills my Top 24 A-T Performers list with nothing but 14 footers!!
That's right--you need to clear 14-0 or higher to make the HS OUTdoor list now!!
Several other great marks dotted the opening of the OUTdoor season!
Fred Kerley won a Florida 100 in 9.99!
In a separate race, Matthew Boling timed 10.03!
Anderson Peters let his Javelin fly out 276-5, also in Florida!
In Texas, Alyssa Wilson's HT of 234-1 makes her 9th A-T Collegiate!!
Virgilius Alekna's son--Mykolas--is following his father's path to greatness in the Discus Throw, his 218-10 in California giving him the Frosh Class Record, and making him 5th A-T Collegiate!!
I'll close with some fast HS middle distance marks from Azuza, California!!
The Newbury Park boys were busy, as Colin Sahlman's 1:48.84 edged brother Aaron (sic!) Sahlman, who ran 1:48.91 over 800 meters!
The other brother combo from Newbury Park saw Leo Young beat brother Lex Young over the mile distance, 4:00.77 to 4:04.68!
For Leo, it makes him 16th A-T HS!!
Finally, we get a fantastic race in a Girl's One Mile race, also in Azuza!
Dalia Frias, a previously unknown to me entity, ran 4:35.06, making her 2nd A-T HS behind only Katelyn Tuohy's HSR of 4:33.87!!
It's also the Senior Class Record!
But watch out, Dalia, for not far behind her came Freshman Sadie Englehardt!
Her amazing 4:36.63 breaks her own Frosh Class Record!
And it makes her 4th A-T HS!!
See you soon, my dear readers, with a lot more from this bursting OUTdoor season!!
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