INDIANAPOLIS – Hundreds of athletes will gather this Saturday and Sunday at Proviso West High School in Hillsdale, Ill. to run, jump and throw their way to the first-ever national titles awarded at the USATF National Youth Indoor Track & Field Championships.
Youth Indoor
Athletes in the Sub-bantam through Youth age divisions qualified through one of four youth zone championships by placing in the top six of their event. Athletes in the Intermediate and Young Men and Women’s age divisions were able to enter directly into the championships. Results from the zone championships can be viewed here.2008 Olympic bronze medalist and 2010 Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year, David Oliver will be on hand at the championships to sign autographs, start races and hand out awards to the young athletes.
Athletes with outstanding marks include Julian Talley entered in the Boy’s Sub-Bantam 55m, 200m, 400m and his brother Myles Talley in the Bantam Boy’s 55m, 200m and 400m. Both young men have entry times several seconds faster than some of their nearest competitors. Lamar Hughes in the Bantam Boy’s shot put and Jabari Bennett in the Midget Boy’s shot put are both entered with marks meters ahead of their competition. Brendan Shearn of the Intermediate Boy’s 3,000m has the fastest qualifying time of any athlete entered in any of the 3,000m races, including those older athletes in the Young Men’s age division. Another pair of siblings to keep an eye on are twins Jeremy and Jermain Kline in the Young Men’s shot put. The brothers are competitive with each other with nearly identical marks, but have recorded throws meters ahead of the rest of the field.
On the women’s side sisters Brenna and Cierra Banks continue the sibling trend. Both Sub-Bantam Girls are entered in the 55m, 200m and Long Jump with some of the top marks in each event. Taliah Cintron looks to make her mark on the Midget Girls competition with top marks in the 55m Hurdles, 400m and an entry in the long jump as well. Gabrielle Wilkinson could swing a double in the Midget Girls 800m and 1500m competitions as she enters the meet with impressive qualifying marks in both events. Rebekah Topham is the top long-distance entrant in the Intermediate Girls competition in every event from the 800m to the 3,000m.
