Tuesday, July 1, 2014

USATF CHAMPIONSHIPS

The 2014 USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships were held June 26-29 in Sacramento, California. 25 athletes competed in 14 events with five athletes from the Chula Vista OTC winning a National Championship title.

Five-time World Champion, Brittney Reese proved herself once again to be the best in the country, surpassing Tianna Bartoletta in the fifth round with a leap of 6.92m and secured her National Championship title. Reese is ranked sixth in the world for outdoor competition.

On the first day of the Championships, the men's and women's shot put were contested at the California State Capitol building in downtown Sacramento. Tia Brooks led off the performances for the week with a solid effort in the women's competition. Brooks threw a season's best of 18.83m, which was good enough for third place and also ranks her third in the US.

Capitalizing on his strong outdoor season, Joe Kovacs showed the country why he is the current leader in Diamond League points in the shot. In the finals, Kovacs threw a lifetime best of 22.03m which was almost 2 feet farther than the next competitor's and currently leads the world in the outdoor season.

Maya Pressley had an outstanding performance in the women's high jump, clearing1.85m which earned fourth place amongst an extremely strong field of athletes. Liz Podominick finished in second place in the women's discus throw on Sunday with a best mark of 59.96m. In the women's hammer throw, Jessica Cosby-Toruga had a set of great efforts, which culminated in a best throw of 71.72m. Cosby-Toruga finished in second place behind Amanda Bingson and the two currently lead the US. In an exciting women's javelin, Brittany Borman and Kara Patterson fought for the national title down to the last throw. Borman finished as the runner-up, but set a new lifetime best of 62.05m. This was the first Championship Meet ever in which two women threw over 200 feet. Kiani Profit competed in the heptathlon Friday and Saturday and managed to improve upon her season's best overall score. Profit had lifetime bests in the 100 meter hurdles (13.51) and shot put (12.80m) to contribute to her second-best score ever of 6072.
On the men's side, another athlete from the Chula Vista OTC was crowned National Champion in the long jump. Jeffery Henderson lead a 1-3-4 finish with teammates Mike Hartfield (8.03m) and Tyron Stewart (8.03m). Henderson had a magnificent final attempt of 8.52m, which is the top jump in the world this year.

Will Claye dominated the men's triple jump from the second round, and pulled away from the rest of the field on his last attempt with a new lifetime best of 17.75m. Claye's jump was over a foot farther than the next competitor's and he remains undefeated in competition for 2014. Claye hopes to continue this streak and win the Diamond League Series in the event. Chris Benard also set a new personal best in the triple jump (17.10m) which earned third place.
In the men's javelin, Sean Furey struggled in the initial rounds, however, put it all together in the fifth round for a massive throw of 81.10m which clinched the National Championship title. Furey's season's best throw ranks in third in the US for 2014.
Diamond League competition will resume on July 3 in Lausanne, Switzerland.