Field Event Athletes Celebrate AAU Titles On First Day At Virginia Beach

By Keenan Gray of DyeStat

RESULTS/VIDEOS

Action began Friday at the AAU Indoor National Championships on Friday at the Virginia Beach Sports Complex, where several meet records fell.

The first day included preliminary racing in the boys and girls 200 meters, 400 meters and 1500 meters, and finals in the boys and girls long jump, high jump, pole vault and shot put.

Chance Stuart of Commonwealth Throws Club led a 1-2 finish for his club and won the boys 17-18 shot put with a mark of 56-4.50. Stuart, of Norfolk Academy, is the VISAA champion in the event. 

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Priya Cheatham from N-Motion Throwing Academy won the girls 17-18 shot put by more than five feet with 41-2.50. 

Cayla Hawkins of Track Life University, an eighth grader racing up in the girls 15-16 age group, led qualifying with times of 24.73 in the 200 meters and 56.86 in the 400 meters. 

Zayden Saxton and Steffon Lyon of Southern Sprinters Elite Track Club lowered 200 meters records, too, in their respective age division. Saxton ran 22.85 to lead all qualifiers in the boys 14 age division and Lyon ran 22.23 in the boys 15-16 division.

Brandon Kuhn and Jaelyn Martin, representing Str8 Smokin Track Club, were another pair of club teammates who posted meet records in the same event. Kuhn clocked 50.38 in the boys 15-16 400 meters and Martin ran 49.56 in the boys 17-18 400 meters.

Sadie Bates ran 57.15 for the fastest time in the 17-18 girls 400 meters.

Eva Delaney ran a winning time of 4:49.54 in the girls 15-16 1,500 meters.

Psalm Han, Sage Weiss and Danica McCarron cleared meet record heights in the girls pole vault competitions.

Han of Xtreme Heights LLC vaulted over 9 feet, 11.75 inches to win the girls 14 year old title.

Weiss reached 10-11.50 to claim the girls 15-16 year old title.

McCarron eclipsed 12-7.25 to take the girls 17-18 year old title.