The Evergreen Storm Track Club claimed 14 championships at the Pacific Northwest Association USA Track and Field Junior Olympics meet in Seattle.
Additionally, the Woodland-based Flanagan Clan Girls Track Club earned five gold medals.
The championship meet for athletes ages 8-18 in western Washington took place Saturday and Sunday at Chief Sealth High School. The top eight in each event at the association meet qualify for the regional championships July 7-8 in Seattle.
Miguel De La Melena of the Evergreen Storm won both the 3,000 meters and the 800 in the division for boys ages. His times were 9 minutes, 42.13 seconds in the 3,000 and 2:09.97 in the 800. De La Melena also helped the Storm boys win a distance relay race.
Other boys champions for the Storm were Bailey King in the ages 15-16 shot put with a mark of 46-73/4 and the discus with a mark of 130-4, Keaton Spiller in the 2,000-meter steeplechase for ages 17-18 (6:50.56) and a 400-meter relay in the 17-18 age division.
Danica Person of the Evergreen Storm won the 100- and 200-meter dashes for girls ages 17-18. Her times were 12.44 and 25.67. In that age group, Savannah Craig won the 2,000-meter steeplechase (7:41.32). N’Kem Day won the 15-16 girls shot put for the Storm (30-31/2). Among girls ages 13-14, Amanda Creagan of the Storm won the shot put (38-21/4) and the discus (96-0). Emily Wilson won the 3,000 for girls 13-14 (10:41.26).
For the Flanagan Clan, Ellie Walker won two hurdles races in thew 13-14 age division. She was timed in 15.78 in the 100 hurdles and 20.22 in the 200 hurdles. Also in the 13-14 age group, Megan Shubert won the triple jump (30-0) and McKenna Flanagan won the javelin (92-5). In the 9-10 age group, Elyse Booker won the mini-javelin for Flanagan Clan (95-10).
A list of all top place winners from Evergreen Storm and Flanagan Clan is in the Community Sports Scoreboard.
Marathon organizer pleased
The date for the 2014 Vancouver USA Marathon has not yet been set, but it is likely to continue to be a Father’s Day event. Race director Brian Davis was planning to meet with his staff this week to review the 2013 race, held June 16. Davis said that as part of that review, his Energy Events team will discuss the impact of staging future races on Father’s Day.
“I was really excited. I’ve heard nothing but great reviews,” Davis said, describing his reaction to the third annual race.
This year, 627 runners and walkers completed the full marathon and another 1,332 finished the 13.1-mile half marathon.
Those numbers were similar to the inaugural event in 2011, and an increase from the 2012 event.
“This is our year to turn the corner,” Davis said. The city of Vancouver and the community at large are more supportive of the event now that it is 3 years old, Davis said. Davis said about 200 people registered for the 2014 race during the 2013 race weekend.
CCRC series gaining speed
Oscar Bauman and Jesse McChesney led a field of 148 runners who completed the June 19 race in the Clark County Running Club’s series of Wednesday 5-kilometer races.
Bauman, 40, edged McChesney, 25. Both were timed in 15 minutes and 24 seconds on the course that started and finished at Heritage High School. Shannon Porter, 21, of Washougal, was the first female to finish. Her time was 17:33.
The series returns to the Heritage High School course this Wednesday. The run starts at 7 p.m.
Snohomish team wins title
The Northwest Sidewinders, a Snohomish-based team, won an ASA girls fastpitch softball tournament played Friday through Sunday in Vancouver. The tournament was an opportunity for teams of 16-year-olds to qualify for national and regional tournaments.
Most of the tournament was played at the Vancouver Girls Softball Association fields at Salmon Creek Sports Complex. None of the Clark County based teams was among the top six place winners.
Scores for local teams are in the Community Sports Scoreboard.
Community Sports News is published each Tuesday. Submit items for consideration to paul.danzer@columbian.com, or call 360-735-4521.
