USATF Junior pole vault titles swept by A&M's Stevens, Wyatt
Jun 27, 2015 | Track and Field
EUGENE – A few more Texas A&M athletes qualified for the IAAF World Championships this summer with performances on Saturday in various national championships meets, while in the USATF Junior Championships the Aggies swept the pole vault titles in advancing to the Pan Am Juniors.
Shelbi Vaughan, Jessica Beard and Janiel Bellille joined Shavez Hart and Latario Collie in qualifying for the World Championship meet that will be held in the Beijing Olympic stadium from August 22-30. A&M sophomore Shamier Little advanced to Sunday's finals of the 400 hurdles in the USATF Championships as the top seed.
Meanwhile, A&M frosh Audie Wyatt and Sara Kathryn Stevens both attempted to break Aggie school records as they each won pole vault titles during the U.S. Junior meet held at Hayward Field. They have qualified to represent Team USA in Edmonton during the Pan Am Juniors, held from July 31 to August 2.
"It was amazing to come here and win," said Wyatt. "It will also be amazing to be part of the Pan Am Juniors. It's the first time for me to travel out of the United States, so it will be special competing for the USA and getting the gear. Hopefully I'll be able to compete for the USA again next year as an elite vaulter."
Stevens added: "I still can't believe it. Before I started competing in pole vault I was in gymnastics and my goal was to make a national team which I never did. Now that I get to represent the USA at the Pan Am Juniors I'm really excited and can't believe it."
A&M senior Shavez Hart defended his 200 meter title with a 20.45 (0.0 wind) in the Bahamas national championships and will contest the 100 and 200 at the World Championships after winning a second 100m title on Friday. Aggie junior Latario Collie finished second in the long jump at the Bahamas meet with a leap of 25-0 ¾ (7.64) after winning the triple jump on Friday.
"It was good to come out here and defend my titles," noted Hart. "I felt a bit winded between rounds due to taking some time off after NCAAs, but I executed my races and came out with the victory. It feels great to qualify for the World Championships. I'm one step closer to solidifying myself on the world stage."
Wyatt won the men's junior pole vault title with a clearance of 18-0 ½ (5.50), which equaled his career best, while Stevens improved her career best to 13-9 ¼ (4.20) and moved to No. 2 on the Texas A&M all-time list with the No. 2 performance.
Wyatt attempted and missed 18-4 ¾ (5.61), which would have bettered the Aggie school record of 18-4 ½ (5.60) set in 1990 by Greg West.
"I moved up poles at 18-4 ¾, and shouldn't have," explained Wyatt. "I moved back down, but was tired at that stage, so it didn't go well for me."
Stevens was the lone vaulter to clear 13-9 ¼ and she made one attempt at 14-0 (4.27) in taking a stab at breaking the Aggie school record of 13-10 ½ (4.23) set by Laura Asimakis in 2011.
"When I tried to clear 14 feet it was the first time ever for me to attempt that height," stated Stevens. "I was way out of gas at that stage, and I even hit head on my way down."
Wyatt was clean with first attempt makes on his first four heights, cruising through 16-6 ¾, 17-0 ¾, 17-4 ½ and 17-8 ½. A second attempt was needed to get over 17-10 ½ (5.45) as only three competitors remained.
In moving to 18-0 ½ (5.50), Wyatt cleared on his first try while the other two vaulters were eliminated with three misses each. Wyatt equaled his career best that he set recently in placing fourth at the NCAA Championships at the same venue.
"It was a super competition," said Wyatt. "When only three of us were left, I knew there was a chance the other two vaulters could clear 18-0 ½. It was a great feeling to make it on my first attempt and I had a lot of confidence knowing I had cleared that height when I was here for NCAAs. It was crazy when I found out I won."
After making the first pair of heights – 12-5 ½ (3.80) and 12-11 ½ (3.95) – on first attempts, Stevens needed three tries at a career best of 13-5 ¼ (4.10). Coming into the meet Stevens previous best was 13-3 ¾ (4.06) from April of this season.
Eight vaulters cleared the 13-5 ¼ height, and the pair of misses by Stevens had her tied for seventh. She moved into first place, though, when she was the only competitor able to clear 13-9 ¼. Stevens needed two attempts to make the height, but the rest of the field each registered three misses.
"I was so excited I had set a PR I didn't know if any others had made it," said Stevens. "I couldn't believe it when someone told me nobody else had cleared that height. It was very unexpected.
"I was really sick two days before the NCAA West regional, but still tried to give it my best shot. However, ending on that note was discouraging. To come here and win gives me more confidence that I can compete with these girls."
Both junior pole vault competitions were contested simultaneously just a couple feet apart and the Aggie vaulters could follow the other's progression.
"It was so cool," noted Stevens. "Audie jumped every time right before I would vault. It pumped me up to see him doing so well."
Wyatt added: "It was crazy that we were both doing so well today. When I saw her PR I went over and gave her a hug. Then when I heard she won I gave her another hug. It was great we both showed up today and performed so well."
Texas A&M junior Shelbi Vaughan turned in a third-place effort in the discus at the USATF Championships to secure a berth to Beijing, China, where she will compete on her 21st birthday in August. Vaughan threw the discus 199 feet, 4 inches (60.76) in finishing behind Gia Lewis-Smallwood's winning distance of 207-9 (63.09) and the runner-up mark of 204-1 (62.21) by Whitney Ashley.
Vaughan opened her series with a 133-4 (40.64) and then responded with her best effort of 199-4 in round two. The rest of her series included marks of 182-8 (55.69), 193-8 (59.03), 191-6 (58.36) and 194-8 (59.35). Finishing in fourth place behind Vaughan was Wisconsin's Kelsey Card, the NCAA runner-up, with a 197-4 (60.16).
In the national championships for Trinidad & Tobago, Janiel Bellille won her section of the final in 53.39 and placed second overall behind a 52.99 by Kineke Alexander from the other heat. Bellille won the 2014 national title in a career best of 51.83, which broke the national record for Trinidad as well as the championship meet record.
Former NCAA 400m champion Jessica Beard finished sixth in the USATF 400 final with a time of 51.48 and will be considered for the relay pool in the 4x400. Beard has been part of the Team USA relay at the past three World Championships, earning gold medals in 2009 (Berlin) and 2011 (Daegu) along with a silver in 2013 (Moscow). Beard previously competed in Beijing during the 2006 World Junior Championships.
The 400 final was claimed by Allyson Felix in 50.19 over Natasha Hastings (50.25) and Phyllis Francis (50.67) while current world leader Francena McCorory placed fourth in 50.88.
Shamier Little finished as the top seed for the 400 hurdle finals after winning her semifinal heat in 54.14 over Georgeanne Moline (54.28) and Lashinda Demus (54.91). Tiffany Williams won the other heat in 54.27 over Cassandra Tate (54.51) and Kori Carter (55.89).
It was the second fastest time in Little's career, trailing her world-leading 53.74 she set in defending her NCAA Championship two weeks ago on the same track.
"I think that I'm transitioning well between the rounds in terms of running the right times," said Little. "I'm glad that I made it this far, now I'll just have to be patient to wait and see what happens in the final. There is some tough competition and you can't count anybody out of the race."
Jena Hemann scored 3,505 points during the first day of competition in the heptathlon at the USATF Championships, which currently places her ninth among a field of 16 entrants.
The high jump was a big event for Hemann as she cleared 5-10 ½ (1.79) for 966 points, which placd her third in that event. Hemann opened with 939 points from the 100 hurdles when she ran 14.28 seconds. In the shot put a mark of 42-3 ¼ (12.88) earned Hemann 719 points and she capped the first day of the multi with a 25.06 (1.7 wind) in the 200 meters for 881 points.
Aggie frosh Kristen Clark placed fourth in the USATF Junior javelin with a mark of 156-2 (47.61).
In the prelims of the USATF 200 meters all five entries with A&M ties advanced to the semifinals. Curtis Mitchell won his heat in 20.36 (1.0 wind) while Ameer Webb finished second in another heat with a 20.35 (1.7).
In the women's race Jeneba Tarmoh won her heat in 22.55 (0.9) while Kamaria Brown ran the same time as the winner of her heat as both clocked 22.63 (0.5). Porscha Lucas ran 22.87 (0.7) for third in her heat and advanced on time.
Over in Jamaica, Simone Facey advanced to the finals of the 200 with a time of 23.04 (-1.1) in the prelims. Her time was fifth best as she placed second in her heat.
Players Mentioned
