USATF Day Two and Three.

Quentin Mege in Friday's  Hammer Throw.
Photo by Becky
Miller

On Friday Harun Abda sets Gopher record in the 800 of 1:46.38 at US Track Champs in Des Moines. Abda was 12th fastes in the semi's, so he didn't make the 800 final.  Team USA Minnesota's Heather Kampf fared a bit better, running 2:00.51(.10 off her personal best), the third fastest semi time to qualify for the women's 800 final. The Gopher's Wally Ellenson finished second in the USATF Junior Champs high jump, clearing 7'.5". Quentin Mege finished 14th in the Hammer Throw with a toss of 206'9"(63.02m).

Harun Abda. Photo by Becky Miller

On Saturday, as noted above, Maggie Ewen won the discus in the USATF Junior Champs with a Minnesota best of 179' 6".  Team USA Minnesota's Jamie Cheever finished fourth in the steeple in 9:53.01.  Lance Elliott of Run 'N Fun was fourth in the Masters 800 in 1:59.63. Team USA Minnesota's Gabriele Anderson was 11th in the 1500 in 4:32.93.  Will Leer finished fifth in the 1500 in 3:45.95 and Ben Blankenship 10th in 3:46.95.

Ewen told reporters after the discus: “It was really good. I’ve been having a rough time in discus lately, so to throw what I did I was really happy. I almost didn’t make it into the finals, until my third throw in the prelims. It was really nerve-wracking. I’ve been focusing a lot on the shot put. My discus has kind of been lacking. But I had a good day! I surprised myself. Maybe I got too focused [on the shot put), too stressed out with it. With the discus, it was all relaxed and easy throwing."

Des Moines Register photo gallery is HERE
Eugene Register Guard on the distance races, and a special race planned to allow women to get 10K IAAF World Champs qualifying marks is HERE.
The Oregonian article on the 1500 meter races is HERE.

Wally Ellenson "pretzels" over the bar.
Photo by Becky Miller