Berry Wins Gold, Silver, Bronze at Junior Olympic Championships in Oregon

Results 

The 2023 USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships concluded on Sunday (30-Jul) in Eugene, Oregon. The championships were held at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon.

7719 athletes competed during the seven days of competition that began on Monday (24-Jul).  USATF Indiana was represented by 103 athletes who competed in 214 individual events and one relay.  

Indiana athletes won four national titles, had seven runner-up finishes and turned in an additional 16 all-American performances by way of finishing in the top eight in an event. In total, Indiana athletes earned 27 trips to the awards podium to receive championship medals and all-American honors.  Each all-American was presented with a championship medal, an all-American patch, and the always coveted Junior Olympic all-American hat. 

The national champions from Indiana were Cameron Berry (AthLead Indy), Waverly Woolever (unattached), Aidan Kerr (unattached), and Arris Peters (Soca Speed TC).

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS....OF USATF

  Cameron Berry (pictured above) earned three trips to the awards podium as he captured gold in the 11-12 Boys 100m, silver in the 200m and bronze in the 400m. On Sunday, the last day of competition he won the 100m in a time of 11.81 to defeat Prince Butcher of by a convincing .21 seconds. The time was a career best for Berry. Just 90 minutes earlier he had finished third in the 400m running 55.77; another personal best. The day before he finished second in the 200m running 23.95 for another personal best. In summary, over a 24 hour period he won gold, silver, and bronze and set three new personal bests.
  Waverly Woolever (unattached - pictured above), the Indiana and Region 7 champion, won the 15-16 Girls High Jump in Eugene against a field of 58 other competitors. Her winning height was 1.65m (5-5). Runner-up Lilly Stebbins of Idaho also cleared 1.65m but Woolever won the tie breaker (fewer misses during the competition). Aidan Kerr (unattached - pictured above) who had won the 15-16 Boys Hammer Throw at the Indiana and Region 7 championships, came to Eugene as the #1 seed and left Eugene with the gold medal in the 15-16 Boys Hammer Throw. He defeated fellow Indiana rival Samuel Didat 52.15m (171-01) to 59.98m (167-03).
  Competing in the youngest division, Arris Peters (pictured above) captured the 7-8 Boys Javelin Throw with a mark of 29.99m (98-04) to win by nearly 6 feet over Jace Soto of Arizona. The mark was a career best for Peters by over 10 feet. He also won a bronze medal for his third place finish in the Long Jump. His best jump of 3.78n (12-05) tied his career best set at the Indiana Championships in June. And he also finished 17th in the 400m running 1:13.55.

YES, THERE IS A SILVER LINING

In addition to the runner-up finishes for Didat (Hammer Throw 15-16 Boys) and Berry (200m 11-12 Boys) Indiana athletes captured an additional five silver medals. Hannah Alexander (AthLead Indy - pictured above), last year's champion in the 15-16 girls Discus Throw and this year's Indiana high school champion, finished second this year in the 17-18 division. Her best mark of 44.90m (147-03) came on her first throw of the competition. Camryn Massey of North Carolina won with a throw of 48.11m (157-10). But Alexander was not finished with her visits to the awards podium as she would earn two more all-American honors during her stay in Eugene. In the Shot Put she finished fourth with a throw of 12.81m (42-00½) and sixth in the Hammer Throw with a best of 43.69m (143-04). Alexander, who earned three all-American honors at last year's championships in California, has now earned six USATF all_American honors during her career. She is a raising senior at Noblesville High School.
  Kya Crooke (Soca Speed TC - pictured above (R) with sister Kenzie (L)), who will represent Team USATF at the Pan Am U20 Championships in two weeks, finished second in the 17-18 Girls High Jump. Her best mark was 1.70m (5-7). This was Crooke's second visit to Eugene in the past month as she had previously finished second in the High Jump at the USATF U20 Championships in early July. Crooke, the Indiana state champion in the Long Jump, is a raising junior at Heritage Christian High School in Indianapolis.
  In the 17-18 Boys 3000m Ethan Aidoo (Speed U TC) earned a hard fought silver medal stopping the clock at 8:51.92; a personal best by over 36 seconds. He broke up a possible 1-2 finish by Spokane Speed Academy teammates Evan Bruce and Benjamin Morales who finished first and third, respectively.  Aidoo just out-leaned Morales by .04 seconds to captured the silver medal. Aidoo also finished fifth in the 1500m for his second all-American honor. His time of 4:03.05 was a personal best by two seconds. In the 800m he finished 16th running 1:57.78; just .02 second shy of his personal best. He is a raising senior at Terre Haute South Vigo High School.
  Madison Riggins (Soca Speed TC) won her silver medal on the first day of competition as she ran a personal best of 7:16.26 in the 13-14 Girls 2000m Steeplechase. She took the lead right from the gun but was closely followed throughout the race by eventual winner Hadley Hanchett of Washington. Over the final barrier Hanchett edged ahead of Riggins to win in a time of 7:15.17.

Robert Campbell IV (Tru Athletes) earned his silver medal in the 15-16 High Jump with a clearance of 1.90m (6-02¾); a personal best by two inches. He also finished 32nd in the Long Jump with a jump of 19-7½.

FRANKLIN EARNS BRONZE x2

Joseph Franklin III (unattached) earned two bronze medals for his third place finishes in the 17-18 Boys Shot Put and Discus Throw. In the Shot Put he threw 17.14m (56-02¾) on his third throw to secure his third place finish. At last year's national championships in Calfornia he finished third in the  Discus Throw and was able to match that placing in Eugene as he threw 52.87m (173-05). Finishing sixth was fellow Hoosier Fin Essley with a throw of 51.52m (169-0).

DOUBLE ALL-AMERICAN HONORS FOR KELLY AND BRIMMAGE

Joining Berry, Alexander, Peters, and Franklin in earning multiple all-American honors were Brycen Kelly (Indiana BLAST TC) and Choz'ley Brimmage (Soca Speed TC).
  Kelly finished fourth in the 13-14 Boys Pentathlon with a score of 2628 pts. and followed that up with a sixth place finish in the 100m Hurdles running 14.45. The Pentathlon score was a personal best while he set his 100m Hurdles best running 14.41 in the semi-final. He also placed 21st in the Long Jump (5.46m / 17-11 - personal best) and 36th in the 400m (54.78).
  Brimmage finished sixth in the 9-10 Girls 200m running 28.27 and eighth in the 100m stopping the clock at 14.14. She set personal bests of 13.92 (100m) and 28.20 (200m) in the qualifying rounds leading up to the finals. She also finished 12th in the 400m running 1:06.67.

TO BE A HOOISER IS TO BE AN ALL-AMERICAN!!

Other Hoosiers earning all-American honors were Jordan Redmon (Soca Speed TC), Aaron Stockstell (Speed U TC), Curtis Williams (Center Grove TXC Club), Calvin Seitz (unattached), and Kenzie Crooke (SoCa Speed TC). 
  Redmon (pictured above) finished third in the 11-12 Boys Long Jump with a best jump of 5.20m (16-10¾); a personal best by 4½ inches. He also finished 19th in the 200m (25.89; personal best), and 27th in the 100m (13.05; personal best).
  Stockstell finished fifth in the 7-8 Boys Long Jump with a best jump of 3.68m (12-1); a personal best by 7½ inches.    `
  Williams (pictured above) finished fifth in the 15-16 Boys 2000m Steeplechase running 6:33.58; a personal best by over four seconds.
  Seitz (pictured above) finished sixth in the 13-14 Boys 3000m (9:16.03; personal best) and was also 13th in the 1500m (4:22.71; personal best). 
  Crooke (pictured above) earned her all-American hat with an eighth place finish in the 13-14 Girls Pentathlon scoring 2655 points; a personal best by 265 points. She was also 14th in the 200m Hurdles (29.38; personal best), 21st in the 100m Hurdles (15.93;; personal best), 24th in the Triple Jump (9.70m; personal best) and 41st in the High Jump (1.35m).

The complete Indiana Results Scoreboard can found be here.

The 2024 championships are scheduled for College Station, TX; July 22-28.

The 2023 USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships will be held in Louisville,, KY on December 9.

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DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 6 Highlights

ALL-AMERICAN HONORS

1. Waverly Woolever (Unattached) High Jump 15-16 Girls
2. Cameron Berry (AthLead Indy) 200m 11-12 Boys
3. Arris Peters (Soca Speed TC) Long Jump 8U Boys
3. Jordan Redmon (Soca Speed TC) Long Jump 11-12 Boys
5. Aaron Stockstell (Speed U TC) Long Jump 8U Boys
6. Choz'ley Brimmage (Soca Speed TC) 200m 9-10 Girls
6. Calvin Seitz (Unattached) 3000m 13-14 Boys

Advanced to 400m Finals

Cameron Berry (AthLead Indy) 11-12 Boys

Advanced to 100m Hurdles Finals

Brycen Kelly  (Indiana BLAST TC) 13-14 Boys
 

DAY 5 Highlights

ALL-AMERICAN HONORS

2. Ethan Aidoo (Speed U TC) 3000m 17-18 Boys
2. Robert Campbell IV (TruElite Athletes) High Jump 15-16 Boys

Advanced to 100m Finals

Choz'ley Brimmage (Soca Speed TC) 9-10 Girls
Cameron Berry (AthLead Indy) 11-12 Boys

Advanced to 400m Semi-Finals

Arris Peters (Soca Speed TC) 8U Boys
Choz'ley Brimmage (Soca Speed TC) 9-10 Girls
Cameron Berry (AthLead Indy) 11-12 Boys

DAY 4 Highlights

ALL-AMERICAN HONORS

2. Hannah Alexander (AthLead Indy) Discus Throw 17-18 Girls
3. Joseph Franklin II (Unattached) Discus Throw 17-18 Boys
6. Fin Essley (Unattached) Discus Throw 17-18 Boys

Advanced to 200m Finals

Cameron Berry (AthLead Indy) 11-12 Boys

Advanced to 1500m Finals

Ethan Aidoo (Speed U TC) 17-18 Boys

Advanced to 100m Semi-Finals

Cory Graham Jr.  (Soca Speed TC) 8U Boys
Royce Troupe (Indiana Storm TC) 9-10 Boys
Choz'ley Brimmage (Soca Speed TC) 9-10 Girls
Cameron Berry (AthLead Indy) 11-12 Boys
Xavier Dangerfield (AthLead Indy) 13-14 Boys
Za'Nariae White (Speed U TC) 13-14 Girls

Advanced to 80m Hurdles Semi-Finals

DeShuane Alexander (Soca Speed TC) 11-12 Boys

Advanced to 100m Hurdles Semi-Finals

Brycen Kelly (Indiana BLAST TC) 13-14 Boys
Kenzie Crooke (Soca Speed TC) 13-14 Girls

 

DAY 1-3 HIGHLIGHTS 

ALL-AMERICAN HONORS

1. Aidan Kerr (unattached) Hammer Throw 15-16 Boys
1. Arris Peters (Soca Speed TC) Javelin Throw 8U Boys
2. Madison Riggins (Soca Speed TC) 2000m Steeplechase 13-14 Girls
2. Kya Crooke (Soca Speed TC) High Jump 17-18 Girls
2. Samuel Didat (Unattached)  Hammer Throw 15-16 Boys
3. Joseph Franklin II (Unattached) Shot Put 17-18 Boys
4. Hannah Alexander (AthLead Indy) Shot Put 17-18 Girls
4. Brycen Kelly (Indiana BLAST TC) Pentathlon 13-14 Boys
5. Curtis Williams (Center Grove TXC Club) 2000m Steeplechase 15-16 Boys
6. Hannah Alexander (AthLead Indy) Hammer Throw 17-18 Girls
8. Kenzie Crooke (Soca Speed TC)  Pentathlon, 13-14 Girls

The Indiana Results Scoreboard can be found here