Starting Thursday, Hayward Field at the University of Oregon will be host to the 2015 USATF Junior National Championships! The top two runners at this competition will qualify for the Pan-American Championships later this summer in Canada!
Sarah Walker of Germantown Friends will be competing at this meet for the 3rd consecutive year. Two years ago, she didn't make it out of the prelims. Last year, she made the finals. This year, the goal is to make the Pan-Am team. She ran 2:05.79 in Cuba less than two weeks ago and she finished 2nd in the New Balance Outdoor Nationals on Sunday.
Olivia Arizin of Cardinal O'Hara earned All American honors Sunday in the 800 by winning the first of two seeded sections in 2:09.07, which was good enough for 6th overall. The rising junior will love to book a finals appearance. The prelims will take place on Friday.
Jaxson Hoey of Downingtown West earned All American honors in the mile run at New Balance Nationals with a 5th place finish. The AAA 1600 meter state champion will now try his luck at the 1500 meter distance. He will run in a prelim on Thursday afternoon.
Meanwhile, recently crowned 2 mile national bronze medalist Nick Dahl of Germantown Friends will compete in the 5000 meter run on Friday. This will be Dahl's first 5000 meter run on the track, but he has a cross country 5000 meter personal best 15:29 from last September. Conestoga's Andrew Marston will also run in the 5000 meter run, and it will be first 5000 meter race on a track. He has run 15:18 in cross country.
Women
800m: Sarah Walker Germantown Friends, Olivia Arizin, Cardinal O'Hara
1500m: Melanie Vlasic, North Penn/Pitt
3000m, 5000m: Paige Stoner, Lipscomb
Pole Vault: Bridget Guy Hempfield Area/Virginia
Men
1500m: Jaxson Hoey, Downingtown West
3000 meter steeplechase: Ross Wilson Penn
5000m: Andrew Marston, Conestoga, Nick Dahl, Germantown Friends