The beauty of being a weight-thrower in Rhode Island is you don’t have to travel too far to face some top competition. In fact, most of the time it’s in their own backyard.
Like Saturday’s World Trophy Invitational.
The boys’ 25-pound weight features nation-leader Shamrock Thoun of Woonsocket and three others thrower that rank among the top 10 in the country. For girls, three of the top six nationwide will be at this weekend’s meet, held at the PCTA fieldhouse.
Could we see an 80-footer for the boys? It certainly a possibility with Thoun in the field. The Villa Novans’ outstanding junior is less than a foot from that milestone after unleashing a PR and meet record of 79-4.25 to capture individual honors at last weekend’s U.S. Marine Corps Holiday Classic in NYC. In his last five meets, all of which were victories, he has gone 75-2.5 or further. Thoun will have the competition to push him on Saturday. At the No. 2 seed is North Kingstown’s Jack Harmon, who thrice has gone 72 feet this winter, including a PR and nation No. 4 of 72-7.75 in a league meet on Dec. 14. Exeter/West Greenwich’s Owen Spira (69-10.75) and Pilgrim’s Brandon Wolfenden (68-6.75) are also scheduled to compete and rank No. 7 and No. 10 in the country.
Leading the girls’ field is Toll Gate’s Vanessa Jones with a best of 52-3. Jones is No. 2 in the state behind Classical’s Gifty Bediako (53-3) and ranks third from coast-to-coast. Woonsocket’s dynamic duo of Adelaide Caron (51-1.25) and Isabella Piette (49-9.75) will also be behind the cage and are ranked No. 4 and No. 5 in the country.
Saturday’s competition will include the pole vault. In those events, some of our state’s best will are on the infield. La Salle’s Alexander Campbell, who soared to an all-time best of 14-6 at the Marine Corps Holiday Classic is the favorite for boys. The competition could get intense for girls with Barrington’s Ellie Noonan and Ponaganset’s Amber Shaw both coming in with top seeds of 10-6, nearly three feet further than the next closest rival.
Mount Hope’s Thea Jackson, who ranks third in the state in the 55-meter dash behind Lisa and Xenia Raye, is favored in the short sprint. She owns a best of 7.25 from a league meet just before the holidays. She’s also entered in the long jump where an 18-footer is possible with the quality of competition entered for this Saturday’s meet. Just three inches separate the top three seeds with Mount Hope’s Lola Silva (17-9.75), the Wheeler School’s Autumn Allen (17-8.25) and Jackson (17-6.75) occupying those spots.
Among other top athletes at World Trophy are Pilgrim’s Wolfenden in the shot (56-4) and Hunter Schobel in the long jump (21-7.5), and Prout’s Mia Bottaro in the girls’ 1,500m (5:07.04). Wolfenden is the state-leader with the metal ball.
Like last year, Saturday’s competition will be split up by gender with the boys getting things started at 9 a.m. The girls are slated for 1 p.m.
Below is a schedule of events and a link to live results. Ocean State Running will be on site, taking care of all the action. Marathon Sports will be out in the lobby, selling all kinds of merchandise.
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LIVE RESULTS
SCHEDULE
Field Events
- High Jump – starting height of 3’6”/4’6” going up 2 inches at a time
- Long Jump – open pit, 3 attempts, top 9 to finals
- Pole Vault –starting height of 6’0”/8’0” going up 6 inches at a time
- Shot Put – two circles, 3 attempts, top 9 to finals
- Weight Throw – 3 attempts, top 9 to finals
Track Events
NOTE: For relays, one all-freshman team, one all-sophomore, AND one junior-senior entry ARE allowed per team. (Relays with freshmen and sophomores combined are permitted, but would place as a sophomore team; relays with freshmen, sophomores, juniors and/or seniors combined are permitted, but would place as a junior-senior team.) Unlimited entries per school per event otherwise.
- Shuttle Hurdle Relay –mixed age groups
- 4 x 800 Relay –mixed age groups
- 4 x 200 Relay – mixed age groups
- 3000 meters
- 55 Hurdle trials–Top 9 based on time advance to finals
- 55 Dash trials–Top 9 based on time advance to finals
- 1500 meters
- 55 Hurdle finals
- 55 Dash finals
- 400 meters
- 1000 meters
- 4 x 400 Relay –mixed age groups
