It ain’t over until the nationals are done.
Yes, there is one more weekend until we can put an official close to the high school outdoor track & field season. What’s remaining? A trio of national meets scattered throughout the country. Closer to home and featuring a number of our athletes is the New Balance Nationals at historic Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pa., from Thursday to Sunday. Also during thar four-day span is the Nike Outdoor Nationals at legendary Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. Lastly, from Friday to Sunday at the Marcus T. Johnson Complex in Greensboro, N.C., is the adidas Outdoor Nationals.
That’s a lot of national meets and a lot to keep track of this weekend. The lists are plentiful. We’ll do our best to pick out who will be competing in the Championship events at the respective competitions, and feature a few of the athletes and relay squads that just may have enough to make the podium and secure All-American status with a top-six finish. How about a national title? A few come to mind at the New Balance Nationals. West Warwick’s Lisa Raye will be in Philly looking to defend her crowns in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. In the hammer throw, we have national-leader Owen Spira of Exeter/West Greenwich, who won the recent New England Throwers Championships with an all-time best of 241 feet, 5 inches, nearly 10 feet further than the current nation No. 2. In the girls’ competition, there’s Mia Hoskins of Coventry. She’s ranked No. 2 from coast to coast with her best of 188-0, but is the top seed at New Balance. Burklie Burton of Layton (UT), who ranks No. 1 in the country with a best of 192-4, will be at the Nike Outdoor Nationals where Woonsocket’s tandem of Adelaide Caron (179-8) and Isabella Piette (174-5) will try to make some noise. The Villa Novan teammates hold the three and five spots nationally.
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NEW BALANCE NATIONALS, Thursday to Sunday at Franklin Field, Philadelphia, Pa.
LIVE RESULTS
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NIKE OUTDOOR NATIONALS, Thursday to Sunday at Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore.
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adidas OUTDOOR NATIONALS, Friday to Sunday at Marcus T. Johnson Complex, Greensboro, N.C.
