With two days down, Missourians are already making their mark on the AAU Jr. Olympics in Iowa.
In the multi-events in particular, several Show-Me State athletes shone brightly at the biggest track and field meet of the summer.
In the 15-16 Girls Heptathlon, Helias Catholic standouts Nicki Frank and Leah Polley picked up All-American finishes. Polley was seventh, but it was Frank who truly stole the show with her overall victory. The most impressive aspect of Frank's victory may be that it came with only personal best in the seven events: a 10.02m (32-10.5) mark in the shot put. She was tops among the competitors in the high jump - no surprise there for the Class 5 high jump champion - and second in the 200 meter dash and javelin throw. She scored 4804 points to finish well clear of second. Polley's secured her seventh place finish with 4150 points. Her biggest event of the two-day stretch was the 200m dash wherein she finished first among the field in a new personal best of 24.65 (+1.2). She also ran 14.78 (+2.5) for the win in the 100m hurdles and added personal bests in the shot put, javelin, and 800 meters.
In the 17-18 Women's Heptathlon, Missourians finished 1-4 with Liberty's Lily O'Brien and her 4884 points picking up the national championship. She finished top 5 in 6 of the 7 events, placing second in the shot put and long jump (her best event of the 7, arguably). O'Brien posted personal bests in the shot put (10.65m, 34-11.25), 800 meters (2:22.52), and even the long jump (5.65m, 18-4.5), and tied her personal best in the high jump (1.55m, 5-1). John Burroughs rising senior Sydney Lanton finished fourth with 4604 points. She earned personal bests in the shot put, javelin, and 800 meters, and her highest individual finish was a third place finish in the long jump (5.53m, 18-1.75).
Drelyn Beckham of Blue Thunder Track Club picked up the win in the 11 Year Old Boys Pentathlon in dominating fashion, finishing first or second in all five events and scoring 2745 points, fewer than 100 points off the meet record. Northland Track Club's Maclin Parrish was third with 2085 points.
Other notable finishes include Morgan Young in the 12yo Girls Pentathlon (6th), Arlo Absher in the 9yo Boys Triathlon (4th), Trenton McCoy in the 10yo Boys Triathlon (5th), and Ethan Ross and Gavin Tirey in the 17-18 Mens Decathlon (3rd and 8th, respectively).
Several Race Walk champions and All-Americans were crowned in the early goings, as well. Blue Thunder Track Club's Alexander Noe earned the victory in the 10yo 1500m race. His teammate Samuel Noe finished as the runner-up in the 12yo division.
You can watch the AAU Junior Olympics all week long exclusively on MileSplit.
With two days down, Missourians are already making their mark on the AAU Jr. Olympics in Iowa.
In the multi-events in particular, several Show-Me State athletes shone brightly at the biggest track and field meet of the summer.
In the 15-16 Girls Heptathlon, Helias Catholic standouts Nicki Frank and Leah Polley picked up All-American finishes. Polley was seventh, but it was Frank who truly stole the show with her overall victory. The most impressive aspect of Frank's victory may be that it came with only personal best in the seven events: a 10.02m (32-10.5) mark in the shot put. She was tops among the competitors in the high jump - no surprise there for the Class 5 high jump champion - and second in the 200 meter dash and javelin throw. She scored 4804 points to finish well clear of second. Polley's secured her seventh place finish with 4150 points. Her biggest event of the two-day stretch was the 200m dash wherein she finished first among the field in a new personal best of 24.65 (+1.2). She also ran 14.78 (+2.5) for the win in the 100m hurdles and added personal bests in the shot put, javelin, and 800 meters.
