They’re Texas-bound!
That’s the destination that several of our track & field athletes will be heading to for the USATF Junior Olympic National Championships (July 22-28). That comes by virtue of their top-3 finishes at this past weekend’s Region 1 meet at Icahn Stadium in New York.
Of the locals that competed at the regionals, 11 earned gold, including two individual victories by West Warwick’s Lisa and Xenia Raye, who were competing as part of the Providence Cobras. Lisa captured the 100-meter dash and 200m in the age 15-16 division with times of 11.56 seconds and 23.45, respectively. Xenia was also triumphant in the 17-18 division of the 100m (11.78) and 200m (23.76). She also ran a leg on the first-place Providence Cobras’ 4x100m squad (47.28) that also featured Ava Lomberto of Tabor Academy (MA), Cranston West’s Ailani Sutherland and Providence Country Day’s Chloe Guthrie. Guthrie was third in the 100m (12.46), followed by Sutherland (fourth, 12.57). Sutherland secured second in the 200m (25.51) and East Providence’s Nazare Phillip was third (25.72).
In the hammer throw, state and New Balance Nationals winner Adelaide Caron took the No. 1 spot with a toss of 165 feet, 2 inches. Coventry’s Mia Hoskins (second, 161-0) and Woonsocket’s Isabella Piette (third, 154-1) also earned a ticket to the national meet.
North Kingstown’s Tayla Schneider (31.75) won the age 15-16 shot and Cranston East’s Caroline Brennick was first in the javelin (83-5).
On the boys’ side, four athletes were crowned champions.
East Greenwich’s Ryan Evan won the 15-16 discus with a heave of 139-7. East Providence’s Jack Pawlik claimed the triple jump (15-16) title with a distance of 38-7.
As usual, the throwing events proved prosperous by the Ocean State. Woonsocket’s Shamrock Thoun (200-4) and Evans (175-8) went 1-2 in the 15-16 hammer. In the 17-18 hammer, it was a 1-2-3-4-5 sweep with state champion and recent Hendricken grad Matt Giuliano (211-5) leading the charge. He was followed by Owen Spira (second, 205-9), Owen Allen (third, 195-4), Pilgrim’s Brandon Wolfenden (fourth, 189-11) and Woonsocket’s Adam Beaudry (189-0). Wolfenden was also second in the shot (54-11.25) and the discus (134-1). Beaudry was third in the discus (132-0).
Cranston West’s Alonzo Parker-Sharpe solidified spots in the nationals by taking bronze medals in the 200m (22.0) and the 400m (49-90). He was also fifth in the 100m (11.01). La Salle’s Thaden Leomensah (49.98) and Saint Raphael’s Devan Tavares (50.78) were fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 400m.
The Junior Olympic Nationals will take place at EB Cushing Stadium in Bryan-College Station, TX. For more information on the meet, click HERE.
