The second edition of the New Balance Nationals Outdoor meet since separating from the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF) was held at the University of Pennsylvania's Franklin Field in Philadelphia for the second straight year. The site where the Penn Relays is hosted every April is where thousands of athletes from across the country descended to seek personal records and top finishes in Championship, Rising Stars, Freshman, and Middle School competitions.
During the four days of competition, top-6 finishers in the Championship events earned All-American honors at one of, if not the most venerable track and field facilities in the country. The weather wasn't ideal for much of the meet and included a several-hour storm delay on Friday, canceling some prelims and moving other events way back on the schedule.
Blazing Bradley
Pattonville junior and former Trinity Catholic standout A'Laji Bradley took 2nd to Zaya Akins in the Class 5 200 and 400-meter dashes at state last month. Bradley dashed to personal records (PR) of 23.60 and 53.33 to move her up the national list and Missouri all-time list. At New Balance, Bradley finished 4th in the Championship 400 in 54.58.
Elliott and Anderson
A pair of St. Louis standout hurdlers and jumpers made their way to Pennsylvania to compete.
John Burroughs junior Aaliyah Elliott made the same journey from St. Louis to Philly. Two weeks before in the thin air of Albuquerque at 5,200 feet, Elliott flew 6.12m/20-01 in the long jump to take 2nd and join the 20-foot club. It also moved her to the 4th spot on the Missouri MileSplit performance list. At NBNO at just 40 feet above sea level, Elliott leaped to a 4th-place finish in 6.07m/19-11. She also ran 14.34 and 14.31 to take advance to the semis and take 17th in the Championship 100-hurdles.
MICDS senior and Kentucky signee Maya Anderson capped her school career with two more state titles. Anderson claimed a second-straight Class 5 triple jump title last month as well as the 100-meter hurdles crown a year after taking 2nd. She added a runner-up finish in the 300-meter hurdles. In Philly, Anderson placed 9th in the 100-hurdles, just missing the finals with a 13.88. She also placed 13th in the triple jump with a best of 11.88m/38-11.75.
Anderson and Elliott both advanced to the semifinals or 2nd round of the 100-hurdles and were among a handful of Show-Me-State 100-meter hurdlers to compete in the Championship category at NBNO. Timberland sophomore Alexa Adams was 29th while Fort Zumwalt South senior Trinity Douglas was 39th. Parkway Central junior Skyee Lee was entered in the 100-hurdles, 100, and 200, but must not have made the trip as she was a DNS (Did Not Start).
Wilmes
Tolton Catholic sophomore Elyse Wilmes competed at a national meet for the second straight year. Wilmes ran to a 17th-place finish at the NSAF/Nike Outdoor meet a year ago. This year she captured the Class 2 800 and 1600 while anchoring the 1st-place 4x800 squad and 2nd-place 4x400 team. A week after state she went to Alabama and ran 2:06.97 to win the RunningLane Track Championships by 0.02 seconds. Then Wilmes ran 2:10.18 to place 3rd in the Festival of Miles 800. At NBN, Wilmes placed 26th in the Championship 800.
Ladue
Ladue was well represented as a large contingent of athletes were entered in the meet. Super-Sophomore Delaney Brinker placed 26th out of 42 in the Championship 400, running 57.03. The Ladue quartet of Brinkley, Kayla Ray, Laila Murray, and Journee Williams earned All-American honors in the 4x200. The squad of two sophomores and two freshmen ran 1:40.67 to place 6th. The 4x400 of Laila Murray, Makala White, Harper Buxner, and Brinker placed 13th out of 52 in the Championship 4x400 in 3:52.67.
In the Rising Stars 4x100, one step below the Championship level, the Ladue ladies won the 4x100 in 47.64. The team featured Murray, Brinker, White, and Williams.
Middle School Finishes
St. Louisan Justyce Sanders placed 7th and 17th in the Middle School Girls 400 and 200 in 58.63 and 26.12. Kansas City 8th grader Orryn Wright placed 9th in the Girls Middle School 100 in 12.73 and 10th in the 400 in 58.90.
The meet was the final of their high school careers for some Missouri preps and just the first experience of many to come of national competition for others. No doubt the swag will be enjoyed for a while, but the memories of the experiences will last much longer.
