Three Qualify For U20 Pan Am Games
If you didn't know already, the 2023 outdoor track season in Tennessee was special. In total, eleven All-Time Records were set and with such a talented group of athletes, it's not a surprise that as the postseason progressed and the stages continued to get bigger, Tennessee athletes would continue to leave their mark on these competitions.
When Heritage's Grant Campbell set the state high jump record in late April, not only did the mark of 7-3.25 sit on top of the Tennessee All-Time list, but was the #1 high jump in the world for all U20 competitors at the time. While he may have had a high seed entering the competition, he didn't make it easy on himself on Saturday in Eugene. He was the last competitor to enter the competition at 6-10.75 and while he has been automatic over 7 feet for his previous five competitions, the future Volunteer didn't clear his opening height until his final attempt and when he did, he and only one other competitor were left which was enough to ensure he qualified for the U20 Pan Am Games. He and Brion Stephens of Louisville would both clear 7-0.5 and both miss at 7-1.75. Stephens would win on misses.
A few hours later, fellow state record holder and future Ole Miss Rebel punched her ticket to Puerto Rico as Mensi Stiff won the shot put competition with a throw of 52 feet even. In total, she had three marks better than the runner up's 50-6 with throws of 50-8.75 and 51-10.
Earlier this summer, Stiff set a new PR with a 53-5 at a Southern Throwing series meet in Alabama which took over US #1. The previous day, Stiff finished 5th in the discus with a 155-3.
The final competitor to secure his spot on Team USA was Brentwood's Aiden Carter who, as we found out earlier this summer in our Salute To Senior feature, is no stranger to Oregon. He lived there up until his Junior year before moving to Brentwood but has been back several times to compete in Decathlons and on Sunday, completed the Tennessee sweep of men's multi competitions following up Harrison William's USATF Championship with one of his own. The future Oregon Duck started the second day of competition in 4th but with top three marks in three of the next four events, found himself in the lead before the 1500m and held onto it with his fourth top three finish of day two running 4:47.95. In total, Carter amassed 6915 points over the two day competition with his highest point total being the 110m Hurdles where he scored 884, an event he placed 3rd in a little over a month ago at the TSSAA State Championship.
The Pan American U20 Championships are scheduled to contest on August 4th through the 6th in Puerto Rico. Congrats to these three on qualifying to represent Team USA in that competition.