Texas teammates Rogers and Rice earn gold and silver in men’s 3,000 steeplechase, with McDonald and Franklin achieving historic sweep for U.S. in women’s pole vault to start second day in Mexico; Wilson secures second medal in shot put behind champion Noennig

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

It didn’t matter whether it was on the track or in the field, middle or long distances, throwing events or the pole vault.
The outcomes were all the same Saturday for the American athletes at the 10th North American Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) U-23 Championships at National Stadium in Queretaro, Mexico.

The U.S. recorded seven sweeps of gold and silver medals, dominating the competition in the men’s and women’s 800 meters, men’s and women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, women’s shot put and pole vault, along with the men’s hammer throw.

Texas teammates Alex Rogers and John Rice took the top two spots in the men’s 3,000 steeplechase in 9:10.55 and 9:16.29, the first time since 2000 that placed first and second. Rogers’ gold medal was the fourth in meet history for the U.S., including the first since 2010.

Arizona State sophomore Samantha Noennig, the NCAA Division 1 indoor and outdoor shot put champion, added a NACAC U-23 gold medal to her resume by securing the ninth consecutive title for the U.S. in the event with a mark of 56-6.50 (17.23m).

UCLA sophomore Alyssa Wilson, already with a gold medal Friday in the hammer throw, added a silver in the shot put with a mark of 54-10.75 (16.73m). Kent State’s Gabby Bailey, representing Jamaica, earned the bronze with an effort of 54-2 (16.51m).

Noennig and Wilson produced the sixth sweep in the event for the Americans in meet history.

There was also a collegiate sweep of the podium in the women’s 800.

Alina McDonald, who attends Winthrop but doesn’t compete for the Eagles, captured the women’s pole vault title with a 14-1.25 (4.30m) clearance and Michigan State’s Sophia Franklin cleared 12-9.50 (3.90m) to place second.

It marked the first time in meet history the Americans swept the top two spots, with McDonald capturing the sixth title in the event for the U.S. overall.

UNLV sophomore Avi’Tal Wilson-Perteete, who placed third June 8 at the NCAA Division 1 outdoor final behind runner-up Nia Akins of Penn, reversed the order in the rematch Saturday.

Wilson-Perteete captured the gold in 2:05.70, with Akins earning silver in 2:07.11 and Iowa State’s Erinn Stenman-Fahey, representing Canada, securing bronze in 2:11.58.

It marked the third sweep in the event in meet history for the U.S., including the first since 2002. Wilson-Perteete captured the seventh gold medal in the event for the Americans, including the first since 2014.

Texas A&M junior Devin Dixon and USC junior Isaiah Jewett took the top two places in the men’s 800, achieving the second straight sweep in the event for the Americans.

Dixon clocked 1:47.69 to capture the seventh championship in the event in meet history for the U.S., with Jewett grabbing silver in 1:49.43.

Wofford sophomore Hannah Steelman, who placed third in the women’s 3,000 steeplechase at the NCAA Division 1 outdoor final, cruised to a gold medal in 10:21.88, with Furman junior Gabrielle Jennings securing silver in 10:47.35.

Steelman captured the eighth title in the event in meet history for the Americans, who achieved their sixth sweep overall.

Alabama freshman Bobby Colantonio and Minnesota sophomore Kieran McKeag capped the memorable morning for the Americans with one final sweep in the hammer throw.

Colantonio, who represented the U.S. in 2015 at the World U-18 Championships in Colombia and the Pan Am U-20 Championships in Canada followed by the World U-20 Championships in Poland in 2016, prevailed with a throw of 219-1 (66.78m) to secure the sixth gold medal in the event in meet history for the U.S., with McKeag close behind at 217-9 (66.37m) to compete the country’s fifth sweep overall.

In the qualifying races, USC sophomore Chanel Brissett ran the fastest time in the women’s 100-meter hurdles by clocking 12.86 seconds, just ahead of LSU junior and American teammate Tonea Marshall in 12.95. Texas’ Mariam Abdul-Rashid, representing Canada, also advanced to the final in 13.44.

Jamaica’s Phillip Lemonious, who attended Central Arizona College last year before returning home, led all qualifiers in the men’s 110-meter hurdles semifinals in 13.56 seconds. Dashaun Jackson of St. Francis PA advanced for the U.S. in 13.70 and Georgia’s Michael Nicholls, competing for Barbados, also moved on in 13.77.