Beckmon eclipses 1994 championship meet record in final prep long jump competition at Hayward Field with 21-2.75 (6.47m) effort to secure back-to-back women’s 17-18 division crowns; Ackerman produces personal-best 56-11.50 (17.36m) to defend 15-16 boys shot put title, with McCloyen doubling up with men’s 17-18 discus and shot put victories

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

EUGENE, Ore. – Isaac Ackerman pointed to the ring finger on his right hand during the introduction of the athletes competing in the boys 15-16 shot put final Thursday at the USATF National Junior Olympic Championships, foreshadowing what was coming in the last three rounds.

Sophia Beckmon held up two fingers on her right hand during the recognition of the finalists for the women’s 17-18 long jump championship, also alerting the spectators how her last prep competition in the event at Hayward Field was going to conclude.

Ackerman and Beckmon didn’t back down from the spotlight and then they backed up their bold predictions, with both athletes securing back-to-back national titles.

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Ackerman, who recently completed his sophomore year at Omaha Central and represented Boys and Girls of Midlands in Nebraska, responded moments later by producing a lifetime-best 56-11.50 (17.36m) performance in the fourth round.

He then watched one of the most unpredictable and exciting final rounds in championship history, with Samson Black of The Throwing Factory in Texas finding himself in fourth place following five attempts, before dropping to sixth place midway through the sixth round, and ultimately placing second with a 52-7.25 (16.03m) effort.

Six athletes surpassed 50 feet in the final round, with four of them elevating into second place at one point behind Ackerman, who still boasted the five best marks of the competition.

Ackerman prevailed in last year’s 15-16 final with a 52-8.75 (16.07m) performance at Sacramento State.

Beckmon recently returned to Oregon after capturing gold medals in the long jump and 4x100-meter relay for the United States at the NACAC Under-23 Championships at the National Stadium in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Beckmon, a recent Oregon City High graduate and Illinois signee representing Inner Circle Track Club, achieved a wind-legal mark of 21-2.75 (6.47m) in the third round to not only secure consecutive titles, but also eclipse the USATF National Junior Olympic Championship meet record of 20-10.50 (6.36m) established in 1994 by Angela Henry.

Sydnee Burr, an incoming senior at Cypress Park High in Texas and representing Track Houston Youth Track Club, finished second with a wind-legal 19-6.75 (5.96m) leap in the fifth round. 

Beckmon, also a three-time Nike Outdoor Nationals champion and two-time Oregon 6A winner at Hayward Field, won last year’s 17-18 title at Sacramento State with a wind-legal leap of 19-4.75 (5.91m).

Beckmon returned to the track later Thursday to compete for Inner Circle Track Club in the 17-18 division 4x100 relay prelims, teaming with Mia Brahe-Pedersen, Olivia Hicks and Isabella Kneeshaw to clock 44.61. The championship meet record of 44.43 has stood since 2007.

Beckmon and Brahe-Pedersen joined forces in Costa Rica with Georgia’s Kaila Jackson and Central Florida’s Rayniah Jones to not only win the 4x100 relay gold medal at the NACAC U23 Championships, but also produce the meet record by running 42.74.

Roury McCloyen, a recent graduate of St. Joseph (Greenville) High in Mississippi and a Mississippi State signee representing Greenville Track, followed his men’s 17-18 shot put victory with a discus throw title, achieving a 187-foot performance (57.01m) in the sixth round.

Reece Ihenacho, an incoming senior at Cary-Grove High in Illinois, secured second place with a third-round throw of 176-5 (53.79m).

Addison Kleinke, the Oregon 5A state pole vault champion as a freshman representing Churchill High, added a 15-16 division national championship with a 12-11.50 (3.95m) clearance on her first attempt.

Kleinke had three opportunities to produce a championship meet record, but was unsuccessful clearing 13-7.25 (4.15m).

Elizabeth Dowdy of Maclay High in Florida, an incoming junior, achieved a 12-5.50 (3.80m) clearance to earn runner-up honors and All-America recognition.

Camryn Massey, who recently completed her junior year at Ashbrook High in North Carolina and is representing Gaston Jaguars Track Club, produced a third-round mark of 157-10 (14.11m) to capture the women’s 17-18 discus throw crown.

Massey also took third in the 17-18 shot put final with a 42-4 (12.90m) effort.

Hannah Alexander, an incoming senior at Noblesville High in Indiana representing AthLead Indy, was second with an opening-round performance of 147-3 (44.90m).

Jackson Norris, who recently completed his sophomore year at Humble Atascocita High in Texas and is representing Track Houston Youth Track Club, survived a thrilling fifth round in the boys 15-16 long jump final to emerge victorious with a wind-legal leap of 23-10.25 (7.27m).

Tanner Montano, an incoming sophomore at La Cueva High and representing the New Mexico Jags, put the pressure on Norris by jumping 23-0.75 (7.03m) in the fifth round, before nearly overtaking the leader with a 23-9.50 (7.25m) performance on his final attempt.

Jaida Bell, who recently completed her sophomore year at Johnston High in Iowa and is representing Tornado Track Club, captured the girls 15-16 triple jump championship with a wind-legal mark of 39-0.25 (11.89m) in the second round.

Bell’s elevation to national champion is even more impressive, considering Iowa doesn’t contest the triple jump at regular-season prep meets or postseason high school competitions, in addition to her only beginning to train in the event six weeks ago.

Eguonome Akpobassa, an incoming sophomore at Bridgeland High in Texas, achieved a personal-best 38-7 (11.89m) effort on her first attempt to place second. Akpobassa also helped Track Houston Youth Track run 47.86 in the 15-16 division 4x100 prelims to advance to the final.