Coast to Coast
Tennessee athletes were very active last weekend as National caliber meets traversed the country over the same weekend. Here are a handful of performances that caught our attention.
Seattle, Washington
Brooks PR
Keegan Smith kicked off the week of national competitions with a 6th place finish in the 2 Mile Championship at Brooks PR. His 8:54.97 converts down to 8:51.87 for 3200m and lowers his All-Time historic mark in the event for the freshman class. He ends 2022 with five class records on the track and the Cross Country 5k.
More Coverage: Results | Photos
Eugene, Oregon
NSAF Outdoor Nationals
Bella Guillamondegui had to get a little physical as she found herself boxed in on the rail early in her heat of the mile but tactically pushed her way out to the outside and gapped the girls in her race as she won her heat of the mile running a new personal best of 4:52.02. The time now moves Guillamondegui from 16 to 12 for the distance on the all-time list in our database. Teammate Annamaria Bacchetta placed runner up in the Freshman 2 Mile with an 11:07 which puts her #3 overall for freshman in the event state wide.
Mensi Stiff was trailing going into her final throw of the shot put competition but saved her best for last throwing a new personal best of 51-8.25 to win the NSAF Championship and as we know when every time Stiff breaks her personal record it's also setting a new state record. She also placed runner up in the discus throwing a new personal record of 162-10.
Kindersport Athletics was in full force across a wide range of events. Evie Culbreath (Baylor, Yellow) placed 2nd in the Heptathlon, Aiden Carter (Brentwood, Grey) placed 2nd in the decathlon, and Canon Kinder (Brentwood, Green) placed 17th in the decathlon. Not pictured but also competing: Abby Miller (Summit) - 8th, 400m Hurdles, Sophie Yount (Brentwood) - 3rd, 100m Hurdles, 2nd 100m Dash, Hudson Allain (Brentwood) - 4th 200m Dash, James Patrick (Franklin) - 9th, Decathlon, Kiersten Bell (Brentwood) - 16th, Heptathlon.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
New Balance Outdoor Nationals
It doesn't surprise me that Jazzlyn Garmer wanted another shot at this distance before she hung it up for the season. Even though she won the state title in the event last month she did so in a torrential downpour she likely was hoping for better weather especially coming off a new PR at the distance the week prior at regions. However, the farther you attempt to stretch our season into the summer, the harder it becomes to prolong that peak and she wasn't able to capitalize on the magic of the Penn track. She finishes the season ranked TN #4 in the event with a 10:49. Twin sister Calysta Garmer and teammate Anna Graves ran the mile where Calysta essentially matched her PR after conversions. The Webb School of Knoxville squad is going to be fun to watch this fall with these three all officially in high school.
More Coverage: Results | Photos | Interviews
Greensboro, North Carolina
Adidas Outdoor Nationals
Unfortunately the field event athletes were not able to take advantage of the same wind the runners on the track were able to this weekend but Nolensville's Sterling Weldon, competing for Front Runners Track Club, was still able to pop a 7 meter jump in one of his only wind readings under -1.0 m/s and place 3rd in the championship division of the long jump. The near 23 foot jump was close to a PR. He was the only sophomore this season to jump over that distance.
Sam Fisher had a busy weekend in Greensboro competing in the Decathlon with teammate Garner Ezell. He set a new personal best in five events including the high jump with this clearance of 6-4.75.