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2023 Nike Outdoor Nationals Day 4 HighlightsPublished by
by Ricky Quintana Photos by Victah Sailer Eugene, OR- Rainy conditions greeted athletes on the fourth and final day of the Nike Outdoor Nationals. Though the rains came and went, the athletes responded with great competition and top national performances. Here are some of the highlights: Girls Champ 200m
Brahe-Pedersen continued to power down the stretch to record a new personal best by 0.18 seconds. Beckmon also lowered her personal best by 0.12 seconds to crack the 23 second barrier with her 22.99. Beckmon’s time was a US #6 and moved her fifth best in NSAF meet history behind Tamari Davis’ 22.98 in 2018.
Brahe-Pedersen’s time crushed the NSAF meet record of 22.94 run by Chalonda Goodman(GA) in 2009 and the Hayward Field record of 22.49 run by Kaylin Whitney(FL) in 2014. It was the third fastest time in US History, US #1 outdoors this season and broke Marion Jones(Thousand Oaks, CA) junior class record of 22.58 set in 1992. Photo by Ross Dettman Brahe-Pedersen finished off the meet with her Lake Oswego teammates as they ran to a dominating 3:48.49 win in the 4 x 400m relay championship. Brahe-Pedersen split 52.8 for her third leg and fellow junior Josie Donelson closed it out with a 54.45.
Boys Champ Mile Simeon Birnbaum(Rapid City Stevens,SD) could be excused for not being up for a third highly competitive race in a span of four days. His 8:34.10 2 mile win at the Brooks PR Invitational on Wednesday came on the heels of a sizzling 55.95 last 400m to edge future Oregon teammate, Connor Burns(Southern Boone, Ashland, MO) who finished second in 8:34.33. Then on Friday, he followed the pace setters perfectly and finished third in 3:37.93 for a US #2 fastest time in high school history. The time also broke the age 17 record of 3:39.0 run by Jim Ryun in 1964. Afterwards he stated that the race was more difficult than he thought, but would race again on Sunday in the boys mile because he doesn’t “dodge” competition and wanted to race the Young twins. So when the gun went off for the epic final filled with three sub four runners and eight sub 4:06 runners, Birnbaum’s place at the back of the pack seemed understandable. Though this was not unusual for Birnbaum who tends to linger off the pace in his races, it seemed particularly telling since the opening lap was 60.2. Birnbaum was 61.6, well off the pace and sitting in 14th place.
The pace tapered off even more over the second lap as Hunter Jones( Benzie Central, Benzonia, MI) began to struggle up front giving way to Rocky Hansen(Christ School, Arden, NC) as he reached the 880y mark in 2:03.95. Birnbaum moved up seven places to reach the 880y just a few yards behind in 2:04.58.
Birnbaum began to make his trademark move over the next 200m(29.0) as he went from seventh to second. Leo Young took the pole position heading into the final curve s and began to get some daylight on Birnbaum into the curve and into the homestretch. Young looked to be on his way to victory before Birnbaum shifted into another gear using his patented come from behind strategy to perfection once again. Using a 14.3 last 109m to Young’s 14.7, Birnbaum erased the deficit and came up with a 4:02.22-4:02.58 win as he raised his finger to his mouth in shushing fashion and turned left to Young who was looking down at his legs willing them to turnover faster. Birnbaum’s last 200m was run in 26.8, his final 400m in 55.8 and his final 800 in 1:57.6. Hansen held the line as he finished third in 4:03.63 for the third time in three big races-Arcadia 3200m, Brooks PR Invitational 2 mile and NON mile. Burns finished fourth in 4:04.24 and Lex Young fifth in 4:04.60.
Birnbaum moved to #2, Young #3 and Hansen to #7 in NSAF history. Photo by Ross Dettman Interview with Simeon Birnbaum and Connor Burns Boys Championship Javelin Throw Junior Brayden Platt(Yelm, WA) launched the javelin 228-0 to win over Paul Catalanatto Jr(Catholic, Baton Rouge, LA) who finished second with a 209-07. Platt entered the competition with a best of 216-0 and a runner up finish in last year’s NON with a throw of 214-00.5. However, he exceeded his best with a launch of 217-11 on his fifth throw before his rocket launch of 228-00 a US #1 this season. Boys Champ Triple Jump Episcopal(Bellaire, TX) junior Karson Gordon came up big when it counted most to win the triple jump with a 51-04.25. Gordon opened with a 50-02 in round and nearly matched that with a 49-11.25 jump in round two. Winter Haven’s Jaden Lippett, the Florida State 4A champ, also a junior, was next best with a leap of 49-09.75. Round Rock(TX) junior Xavier Drumgoole , the UIL State 6A champion then bounded a new personal best of 50-06.75 in round five to take the lead. The lead was short lived as Gordon responded with his winning mark of 51-04.25 in the fifth round. Lippett passed on his remaining three jumps and finished 49-09.75 good for US#12. Results and video Girls Champ High Jump JaiCieonna Gero-Holt(Emerald Ridge, South Hill, WA) won the high jump with a 5-10.5 US #10.She had two first attempt clearances at 5-06.5 and 5-08.5 before needing two attempts to clear 5-10.5. She made two attempts at 6-00.5 before passing on her final attempt.
Michigan LP D1 high jump state champion, Milena Chevallier, Mercy(Farmington Hills, MI) finished second with a clearance of 5-08.5. Results and video Skyline(Sammamish, WA) teammates Anna Callahan and Rebecca O’Keefe overcame a quick start by freshman Elizabeth Leachman, Champion(Boerne, TX) to finish 1-2 in the girls champ 1 mile in 4:44.68 and 4:46.42. Leachman, fresh off her third place in the 2 mile, 9:57.65, tucked in behind Jade Rypkema(Nevis, MN) as the two hit the first lap split in 69.38 and 69.82. From there, Leachman went to the lead to hit the two lap split in 2:21.44(71.63). Photo by Ross Dettman Callahan’s 4:44.68 was a personal best.
Results and video Girls Champ Hammer Throw King’s (Seattle,WA) Kimberly Beard, just a freshman, set a new personal best by one inch to win the hammer throw with her fifth round throw of 168-01, a US # 3 best this season. Her teammate and UC Berkeley bound Adrianna Coleman took second with a throw of 163-011. Results and video Boys Champ 400m Hurdles Gage Gose (Valley, Lander, WY) came from behind to storm away in the final straightaway to win the 400m hurdles in a new personal best of 51.48, a US# 4 performance.
Results and video Girls Champ 400m Hurdles Albemarle's (NC) Akala Garrett continued her winning ways as she claimed her third 400m hurdle title in a row with a 57.51, a US #2 this season. UIL State 6A 300m Hurdle champion Sidney Green, Allen(TX) finished second in finished second in a US#2 time and personal best of 58.45.
Green was aggressive from the start and led Garrett through six hurdles. Then a slight bobble over the seventh hurdle gave Garrett an opening and she pulled away for the win. Green’s previous best was a 59.05 set in winning the USATF National JO on July 31, 2022. Results and video Boys Champ Pole Vault Junior Bryce Barkdull(Central, Andover, KS) cleared 16-11.5 to outlast Leo Bowen(Alamo Heights, San Antonio, TX) who finished second with a 16-08. Results and video Boys Champ 3,000m Race Walk Clayton Stoil, Langley(McClean, VA) won the 3,000m race walk in 14:19.51 after finishing second last year in 13:48.69. Results and video Girls Champ 3,000m Race Walk Seventh grader, Ava Torgersen(Montera MS(Oakland, CA) won the 3,000m racewalk in 15:19.11. Last year, Torgersen was third in 16:08.67.
Torgersen also finished eleventh in the MS Mile run in a 5:18.41 which was a personal best and 30th in the long jump with a mark of 12-04. Results and video Girls Champ 4 x 100m Relay South County(Lorton, VA) sped to a 45.83 to win the 4 x 100m relay. The foursome of Mianna Mason, Cameron Thompson, Catalina Sanchious and Jordann Germain lowered their season best time from 46.40 for the second time in as many days. In the preliminaries they ran 45.55 to =US #6 time this season. Edmond, OK took second in 47.85. Results and video Boys Champ 200m Dash Langston Hughes( Fairburn,GA) sophomore Maurice Gleaton sped to 20.91 to turn back a late charge from freshman Kendrick Jones Jr(Lake Belton, Temple, TX) to win the 200m dash. Gleaton had finished second in 10.30 on day 2. Rodrick Pleasant(Serra, Gardena, CA), in lane 5, got out quick and led through the curve and into the homestretch. However, he began to tighten up with 60 meters to go and Gleaton, in lane 7, began to gain ground and then passed Pleasant for the win. Jones, who false started in the 100m final, came out of lane 9 late to collar second place in 21.05, a wind legal personal best. Jake Andrews(Sehome, Bellingham, WA), a University of Southern California signee, was third in 21.10. Andrews had run a new wind legal personal best of 20.97 in the preliminaries. Results and video ### About the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation, Inc. The National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF) is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1990, with the mission to inspire and empower student athletes on and off the track. The NSAF supports high school and junior-aged track and field athletes through national high school competitions, including Nike Indoor and Nike Outdoor Nationals; The Great American XC Festival and HBCU Challenge and the Nike XC Town Twilight. The NSAF provides approximately $250,000 in grants annually. For more information about the NSAF, please visit NationalScholastic.org. About TrackTown USA, Inc. TrackTown USA, Inc. is a non-profit organization committed to setting a standard of excellence in hosting premier track and field events, creating a supportive environment for elite athletic performances, being a leader in sustainable sport practices, and inspiring the next generation of track and field athletes and fans. The organization was responsible for organizing the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships, the 2015 and 2022 USATF Outdoor Championships, the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland, and the 2016 and 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials—Track & Field. In partnership with USA Track & Field, the organization brought the 2022 World Athletics Championships to the United States for the first time. TrackTown delivers the Wanda Diamond League’s recurring Prefontaine Classic, recognized as one of the world’s best track and field meets. More news |