Woodland girls qualify for National JO's

Woodland girls qualify for National JO's
Tuesday, July 15, 2008 6:20 PM PDT
By The Daily News
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SPOKANE — Jessica Flanagan and Kelsey Newburn of the Flanagan Clan Girls Track Club of Woodland grabbed top-three placings in their respective events to qualify for nationals from the USA Track and Field Region 13 Junior Olympics competition held last weekend at Spokane Falls College.

Region 13 is made up of Washington, Oregon and Northern Idaho. The top three placers in each event qualify for the National Junior Olympics July 22-27 in Omaha, Neb.

Flanagan, competing in the 10-and-younger age group, won the mini-javelin with a club-record toss of 81-feet-7, and won the 6-pound shot put with a heave of 25-2¾. Newburn, competing in the 11-12 division, placed second in the high jump (4-7), and grabbed thirds in the 80-meter hurdles (14.65), long jump (14-7¼) and pentathlon with 2215 points.

The pentathlon consisted of hurdles (14.77), shot put (21-4¼), high jump (4-3¼), long jump (14-2½) and 800 (2:58.7).

Also qualifying for nationals but not making the trip are: Priscilla Timmons, with victories in the 15-16 1500 (5:13.25) and 3000 (11:15.06); Holly Meler in the 17-18 2000 steeplechase (second, 8:34.94); Amanda Bong in the 11-12 discus (second, 45-feet); and Shelby Vermeulen in the 10-and-younger 6-pound shot put (third, 19-7).

Other placers for the Flanagan Clan were Gabby Bender (fourth, 80 hurdles; fourth, high jump, 4-1¼) and Bong (mini-javelin, 79-4) in the 11-12 division; Sam Willson (fourth, pentathlon, 1882 points; sixth, triple jump, 29-7¼; seventh, 100 hurdles, 18.04; seventh, 200 hurdles, 31.88; seventh, long jump, 14-3¾) in the 13-14 division; and Christina Blackmon (fourth, high jump, 2-11½; sixth, 1500, 6:40.05), Merry Jouwsma (fifth, 6-pound shot put, 17-5½) and McKenna Flanagan (seventh, mini-javelin, 45-4) in the 10-and-younger division.