By Ka'Deem Wynn for DyeStat

 

New state. New city. Greater competition.

 

The 2016 USATF National Junior Olympics was a blast! 7,524 athletes flocked from various regions across the nation to be in one place for one exciting week to mark 50 years of spectacular youth track and field action.

 

Let's take a look at the top 10 performances from throughout the meet. Spoiler alert, though, some national records have been broken.

 

Trey Tintinger HJ Age Group National Record

 

Trey Tintinger of Helena, Montana, proved to be more of a challenge to the record than to his fellow jumpers, and continuously etched himself towards the record, breaking it twice before clearing his final height. After two attempts, Trey got over the bar, winning the 13-14-year-old boys high jump title, setting a new youth national record of 2.00m (6-6.75ft).  

 

“In practice, I used to practice the record a lot so I just got used to it,” Trey said in an interview with DyeStat shortly after his victory. “That’s how I got over it.”

 

The plan was to break the national record, then stop. Then, after a brief discussion, his coach decided he wanted to make a run at 2.00m, which ended in their favor. Trey says that he was very satisfied with his new height; and joked that after he cleared it, he was ready to be done.

 

Trey is the king of the 13-14-year-old age group, but soon he’ll be a freshman and will rival fellow incoming freshman, as well as those older than him. He’ll definitely be someone to keep on the radar.

Men’s 17-18-year-old 4x400 relay final

 

We already knew that it was going to be a battle. After all, what’s a 4x4 without a little grit?

 

The boys of Sprint Athletics Track Club (Ja’Von Douglas, Matthew Moore, Quincey Wilson and Tyler Terry) made a huge statement, showing who was truly the fastest group of 17-18-year-olds. Getting out from the get go, they still battled for the top spot, but it wasn’t until Track Houston pulled up extremely close at the end of the third leg that there was a true threat.

 

During the exchange, Sprint Athletics and Track Houston were deadlocked, with Track Houston trying to be the dominate force on the ground by taking out the pace harder, leading for about 220 meters. That’s when Terry, who’s known for his excellent closing speed, turned on the jets, leaving Track Houston unable to respond. The two went 3:11.39 and 3:12.35 respectively.

Alina McDonald Sets a Pole Vault 17-18 National Record

 

Alina McDonald of KMR Athletics soared through the sky and didn’t feel like coming down until she reached her desired “altitude.” Sure, she came down a few times, but she wasn’t ready until, when all eyes in the stadium were on her, she cleared 4.23m (13-10.54), setting a new Junior Olympics meet record and a national record.

 

She then attempted to clear 4.28m, and almost cleared it on her final attempt, but to no avail. Either way, she’s had a tremendous summer and what better way to end it with breaking an eight-year-old national record?

 

She must be doing something right.

Boys 8 and Under 4x400 relay final

 

Another stellar relay on our list came from the boys 8 and under 4x400 relay. From the back of the pack during the first three legs to being national champions by the end of the fourth, it seems this young group of speedsters has been watching Nick Symmonds too much, maybe even perfecting his signature kick-from-behind move.

 

Anchored by Zachary Jackson Jr., the team from Massey Miracle Run had just that ─ a miracle run. The boys of Dave Bethany Track Club moved up throughout the race, and held off the rest of the field coming into the final 100 meters when suddenly, they were challenged by Massey, with Massey getting the upper hand in the final 10 meters, going 4:45.75 to get the win and Dave Bethany in second with 4:46.13 respectively.

 

Man. Just wait until these kids get older.

Hunter Lucas runs 3:56.29 to win the 17-18-year-old 1500

 

This guy is a horse. All week, whenever he took the track, you knew it was going to be a good race. Winning the 17-18-year-old 3000 in 8:45.23 and then to come back and run a sub-four minute 1500?

 

He’s just gutsy.

 

Lucas (Team NoDak) pushed his way to the front and stayed within the top three. The difference though was during the preliminary races, no one would challenge him. During the 1500 final, Nic Caruso of Arizona Track and Field Academy Club, along with others, held onto to Lucas and rode the wave. With one lap to go, Caruso held on and then made a bold move, throwing in a huge surge with 300 meters to go. Lucas responded instantly, going toe-to-toe with him down the backstretch, making the race just between the two of them.

 

In the final 200, Lucas pulled away, and relentlessly charged home, finishing just two seconds off of the meet record and five seconds off of the national record.

Brian Herron wins 15-16 400 final

 

Somebody has to win, so Brian Herron figured why not it be him? Herron, all the way from lane eight, ran 46.30 to win the 15-16-year-old 400-meter final, besting his field by a whole second! However, not only was his time the fastest in his age group, it was the fastest time overall! Those in his age group and above would be thought to have challenged his time, or even surpassed it. Nope. That wasn’t the case, as the winning time in the 17-18-year-old division was 47.08 by Sean Hooper.

Erick Stewart

 

To be so young and to be so good at what you do. That describes Pacific Coast Shockwave’s Erick Stewart, as over the course of the week he set new 13-14 boys 800 national record in 1:55.00, ran 48.23 to win the 400-meter finals, anchored both Pacific Coast Shockwaves’ 13-14 4x8 which set a new national record, and  4x4 to win in 3:27.29.

 

He’ll be attending Cathedral High School in Los Angeles next year, and he’ll be a force to be reckoned with.

Yamilet Lopez Sets Two 8 and Under National Records

 

How does it feel to be a national champion before your 10th birthday? Must be great, right?

 

Yamilet Lopez of Pacific Coast Shockwaves proved that size doesn’t matter, and she did it in style. Lopez stayed at the front of the pack in the 800 final of the girls 8 and under division, and dropped the hammer with about 150 to go, taking down the national record as she crossed the line in 2:38.11.

 

She then later went to work in the 1500 final, coming in with the fastest seed time by far and proved why. She ran the race by herself!

 

Lopez took the win as she crossed the line in 5:16.29, taking down her second national record of the week, along with the meet record of the event. She may be young, but she has some power.

Daniella Quintero Takes Down 11-12-year-old girls 3000-meter record

 

The national record for the 11-12-year-old girls 3000 was set back in 1988. The meet record was set in 2005. Either way, that’s a pretty good life span for a record. But all good things must come to an end.

 

Quintero of Pacific Coast Shockwaves took down both records when she ran 10:00.11 to win the national title.

 

It almost seems like Pacific Coast Shockwaves has a trend of breaking records; of course, that’s a good thing.

Special Guest Appearances by Olympians Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Dwight Phillips, and Vashti Cunningham

 

Yes, you read that correctly. We had not one, not two, but THREE Olympic track and field athletes come to the Junior Olympics!

 

Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who’s had an illustrious professional career, including Olympic appearances in 1984, 1988, 1992, and 1996, having won four world championships, along with still holding the women’s heptathlon world record, she still can’t get enough of the track life. She, along with Dwight Phillips (2004 Olympic champion, four-time world champion in the long jump) stopped by Hornet Stadium to sign autographs.

 

Vashti Cunningham, the youngest out of the bunch who is set to make her Olympic debut in Rio fairly soon, is already a world indoor champion and is set to have a very successful career in the future. She stopped by and commentated alongside USATF.TV for a bit!