Contact: Melvin Jackson II
Communications Coordinator
USA Track & Field
(317) 261-0478 x322
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.usatf.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 04, 2003
X Games champ adds pole vault gold
AMHERST, N.Y. – The 2002 X Games speed climbing champion, Tori Allen, won
the intermediate girls pole vault on a windy 4th of July holiday at the 2003
USA Track & Field Youth Athletics National Championships held on the campus
of the University at Buffalo.
Allen’s goal coming into today’s championship was to make the World Youth
team traveling to Sherbrooke, Canada for the 2003 IAAF World Youth
Championships. The 14-year-old, Indianapolis native did so in setting a
personal record of 3.69 meters/12 feet ½ inches to win. “I’ve been training
so hard for that one spot on the (World Youth) team,” said Allen. She
credits competing against boys (in Indianapolis) helped her training. The
11th grader at Lawrence Central High School had three good attempts to clear
the national record of 3.81m/12-6. “The heavy winds didn’t not bother me, I
was so excited to get a personal record, but I didn’t want to give up.”
Allen also holds the X Games speed climbing record 13.417 seconds beating
the old record by four seconds on a 60-foot wall.
Naturally, Allen’s favorite athlete is Olympic pole vault gold medalist
Stacy Dragila, and loves her swing technique. “Stacy is supportive and I
love to watch her compete,” Allen continued. “My hobby is rock climbing,
but vaulting is my sport in which I would like compete in the 2008
Olympics.”
In the sprints, 2001 World Youth silver medalist Michael Grant made a strong
showing by running into a 3.1 headwind to turn in the fastest time of 10.76
seconds in young men’s 100m preliminaries. Grant also turned in the fastest
time out of six heats in the young men’s 200m with a time of 21.63.
Courtney Champion turned in the fastest time both in the young women’s 100
and 200m in 12.15 and 23.98 seconds in a 4.7 headwind.
Terrell Thompson ran a 1:55.64 to win his heat in the young men’s 800m. “I
usually go out strong, gaining my momentum around the 300m mark and I just
tried to maintain through the finish. The wind was a killer on the last 100
meters,” said Thompson. Selena Sappleton won her heat with a time of
2:16.48 in the young women’s 800m. “I just wanted to keep a strong lead and
qualify for the finals,” said Sappleton. “After the 600 mark, I felt like I
could not move down the straightway because of the headwind.” Cody Harper
won his heat in the intermediate boys 800m with a time of 2:00.5. “I just
wanted to stay with the guy (Travis Bradford – 2nd) in the lead to save my
energy for tomorrow,” said Harper. “I made my move on the last 100 meters
to win the heat. Travis Bradford won his heat in the 1,500m clocking the
fastest time of the day in the intermediate boys with a time of 4:09.56.
“The field is a lot more talented than what I am used to on the high school
level,” said Bradford.
D’Andra Carter of Texas continued her winning family tradition by claiming
the intermediate girls discus throw title with a toss of 42.18m/138-5. Her
older sister Michelle won silver in the shot put at the 2001 world youth
championships and set a U.S. prep record this year.
Adam Montague of Nevada added the intermediate boys javelin title to his
2001 youth boys javelin title. Montague was in fifth-place before his last
two attempts to win with a mark 50.14m/164-6. “I started off bad, but was
able to make a comeback with my last three throws to move from fifth to
first place,” said Montague.
This year's meet will be the final tune-up for Team USA before competing at
the 2003 IAAF World Youth Track & Field Championships in Sherbrooke, Canada,
July 9-13.
For more information on the 2003 USA Track & Field Youth Athletics National
Championships and the Verizon Youth Series, including complete results from
this year’s event, visit the USATF website at www.usatf.org.
