A pair of recent Pennsylvania high school graduates took home national junior titles, and a state record went down in a terrific second day of competition at the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships in Bloomington, Indiana.
Kyle Garland won the decathlon and Josh Hoey won the 800 meters -- both in decisive fashion -- booking trips to Finland for the IAAF World Junior (U20) Championships, set for July 10-15. Thelma Davies then set a new all-time Pennsylvania state record in the 200 meter prelims, advancing to the finals.
Garland dominates
After a big first day in the decathlon, Garland entered Saturday, the second and final day of competition, with 4,090 points and 311 points ahead of second place. At the end of Saturday, Garland racked up 7,562 points, a PR by 350 points. Garland finished 691 points ahead of second place in the decathlon.
Garland got his day off to a strong start with the 110-meter hurdles. He went 13.80 (1,000 points) to post the fastest time of the day. He followed that up by popping a big one in the discus throw. He threw 141-09, a solid PR and also the best throw of the competition.
In the pole vault, Garland cleared 12-03.5 for sixth place out of the decathletes. He threw 174-00 for second in the javelin. He closed out the 10-event competition by taking sixth in the 1,500 meters in a time of 5:00.16.
Garland, a recent Germantown Academy grad, was second at the Pan-Am Championships last year, and will likely enter next month World Juniors as the one to beat.
Hoey rolls
Hoey is bound for Finland, too.
The Bishop Shanahan grad and future Oregon Duck threw down the hammer in the final 100 meters to run away with the men's 800 meter national junior title. Hoey was third last season, just missing a spot on the Pan-Am team, but this time around, he wasn't to be denied.
Hoey led through the first lap, which came through in 55.28. He stayed with the pack until the homestretch when he powered home for the win in 1:49.48. Hoey's in the midst of a senior season that saw him break the indoor high school national record in the winter and run 1:48 three times this spring.
He'll enter the World Junior Championships as a very serious threat for the win.
Fast 200s
Pennsylvania is sending three high schoolers to the 200 meter final on Sunday; one of which broke an all-time PA state record.
Davies, a Girard College rising senior, dropped a time of 23.10 to shatter her own 200 meter record. Davies ran 23.49 in the spring, but in the prelims on Saturday, Davies unleashed some serious speed, running .39 faster. She'll enter Sunday's final (scheduled for 4:15 P.M.) as the sixth seed and top-seeded high schooler in the field.
On Friday, competing as a the lone high schooler in the field, Davies also broke her own state record in the 100 meters, clocking a time of 11.42 to finish fifth in that final.
On the boys' side, a pair of recent PA high school grads will square off in what should be a crazy fast 200 meter final (schedule for 4:25 P.M. on Sunday). Austin Kratz ran 20.75, while Sayyid Saunders went 20.99 in some fast prelim heats to advance through safely.
Kratz, a Dock Mennonite Academy grad bound for Arizona State in the fall, won his heat defeating Khance Meyers to earn a nice lane 6 draw for the final. That time of 20.75 is just off his PR of 20.74. Saunders, a Harry S. Truman grad, dropped a big wind-legal PR of 20.99 in his heat to finish second. He'll be in lane 8 in the final.
More from Day 2
Recent State College grad Esther Seeland took fifth in a load women's 800 meter final. Seeland clocked a 2:11.93 in a race that went out on a torrid pace. Sammy Watson and Caitlin Collier went 1-2 in the race, both running times in the 2:01s. Seeland ran an outdoor PR of 2:08.83 on Friday to qualify for the final.
Chanel Brissett, a 2017 Cheltenham grad, narrowly missed a spot on the world team. The USC freshman placed third in the 100-meter hurdle final, running 12.95 (the top two go to Finland). High schooler Tia Jones picked up the win, while Florida State's Cortney Jones was second. Brissett ran 12.75 in the prelims.
Marlee Starliper placed 11th in the 5,000 meters. The Northern rising junior took the race out aggressively, but wound up finishing in 17:39.58. Starliper was one of just two high schoolers in a field of mostly collegians. She is also entered in the 3,000 meters, set to go off at 4:45 P.M. Sunday.
Khyasia Caldwell, a Pocono Mountain East graduate and current University of Virginia athlete, took fourth place in the long jump. Caldwell jumped 20-07 in a series that included three other jumps over 20 feet.