Welcome to TRACKside – Stories and notes on athletes, teams, coaches and races to be published mid-week during the 2008 indoor and outdoor seasons. Vaulting to the top of PA | Angling for the Perfect Jump | One Fast Frosh D.J. Horton - Travis Hammaker: There are a few events where the athletes share a bond that is the event itself. No bond is stronger than that which is created by the shared danger and thrill of the pole vault. Kristin Brandt has it all figured out. All she has to do now is get the right day, good competition, great speed, a steady but evenly building run, and just the right amount of height. Then, and only then, will it be the perfect jump. She can see it clearly. In fact, she's done it, only they've all been fouls. State College freshman Chloe Schmidt probably would not think of telling people she is the top freshman runner in the state. But there she is in the rankings. #1 in the mile at 5:00.79 (4:59.05c 1600); #1 in the 800 at 2:16.41, and probably most surprisingly, #2 in the 400 at 57.34. No, the deceptively diminutive and slightly shy 9th grader at State College High School doesn't look at the world that way. You see... comparisons to fellow freshmen just don't seem to be in her nature.
Coverage
NEW TUE: Video of Chanelle Price's #3 all-time 1000m 21 PTFCA Track Carnival vids posted PTFCA Indoor Track Carnival Video Page PTFCA Indoor Track Carnival Photo Gallery"> PTFCA Track Classic: Karen Shump throws a 50' 7.5" shot put to improve her US #1. In the 400, Chanelle Price comes back from New Balance to run a 55.32 US#1 with Council Rock South's Ijeoma Iheoma right behind her at 55.81. Ryann Krais sets a meet record in the 60m Hurdles with a US #3 8.61. At the Akron Performers Open Meet, Kacey Gibson took 1st in the 1600 in 5:08.65 and 2nd in the 3200 in 11:03.09. Dave Farina, Norwin, goes 1:57.58 for the 800. New Balance Collegiate Invite: Chanelle Price sets a PR in the 1000 meter run of 2:45.76, but falls short of the national mark of 2:43.40. Her time puts her at #3 all-time for high school girls and also breaks the meet record. Conestoga girls finish 5th in the 3200 meter relay in a time of 9:13.57. Eleanor Roosevelt (MD) won in a smokin' time of 8:59.37. Click here for Chris Hunt's ArmoryTrack.com story "Price misses national record, breaks meet record" NJ Varsity Classic: Chris Aldrich runs a PA #1 time in the 1600 of 4:17.3. Carly Hamond ran a PA#2 3200 time of 10:55.3. The Norristown crowd: Tasha Johnson, Courtney Bell, Shakeya Ladson, Danica Giddens, and Jasmine Cummings
Photo Gallery by Don Rich of the 2008 PTFCA Indoor Track Carnival at Lehigh University