Oregon Sprinters Go 1-2 And Sub-23 Seconds In 200 Meters; Akala Garrett, JaiCieonna Gero-Holt Win Second Events; Maurice Gleaton Jr Takes 200m 

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Becky Holbrook photos

EUGENE -- Only two states -- California and Florida -- have now produced more sub-23 second high school female 200-meter sprinters than ... Oregon. 

And for the first time since the California state meet finals of 2004, two girls from the state have run faster than 23 seconds (wind-legal) in the same race. 

On Sunday at Nike Outdoor Nationals, local heroes Mia Brahe-Pedersen and Sophia Beckmon achieved it together. Brahe-Pedersen of Lake Oswego, already the 100-meter champion, ran 22.43 seconds for a US#1 and the second-fastest ever wind-legal performance outdoors behind Allyson Felix. 

Beckmon of Oregon City, already the long jump champion, became the 34th high school girl to put a 22 on the scoreboard when she finished second in 22.99. 

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On a day when the sky above Eugene seemed to be locked in an endless relay race between rainclouds and bright sun, the final session of Nike Outdoor Nationals was alternately sun-baked and drenched.

Brahe-Pedersen later ran a 52.7-second split on her team's 4x400 relay to help Lake Oswego win that event and break its own state record with 3:48.49. 

"These ladies," she said, nodding to her team, "and Sophia Beckmon. These ladies are my whole world. They're my best friends. To be able to see them succeed and achieve their dreams while I'm achieving mine, it's the best feeling in the world."

There were more double winners Sunday. 

Akala Garrett returned from her victory in the 100-meter hurdles Saturday to win her favorite event, the 400 hurdles, in 57.51 seconds. 

She beat a star-studded field that included second-place Sidney Green (58.45) of McKinney TX, Braelyn Baker of Redmond Sprint Club WA, Abby Miller of Kindersport TN and Nonah Waldron of Michigan Racers MI. 

"We have so many phenomenal girls and women running. The competition was amazing," Garrett said. 

The World U20 champion last summer, Garrett is looking ahead to the upcoming USATF U20 Championships to try and make another national team. 

Like Brahe-Pedersen, like Garrett, another U.S. team member last year is Emerald Valley WA sophomore JaiCieonna Gero-Holt, who won her second title by clearing 5-10.50 to take high jump on top of her heptathlon victory.

After a blockbuster boys mile won by Simeon Birnbaum of Rapid City SD, Skyline WA teammates Anna Callahan and Rebecca O'Keefe went 1-2 in the girls mile championship. 

Callahan ran 4:44.68 to win and O'Keefe was next in 4:46.42, both running personal bests. 

In the boys 400-meter hurdles, Gage Gose of Lander WY ripped through the event and won it in 51.48 seconds in his first step up from the 300-meter hurdles event this season.

Maurice Gleaton Jr of Fairburn GA, one of the country's fastest sophomores, took down 100-meter champion Rodrick Pleasant and won the boys 200 meters in 20.91 seconds. 

The boys from Central Dakota Resistence, all from Legacy High in Bismarck, continued their surprising domination of the sprint relays, winning the 4x100 in 41.42 for a new all-time North Dakota best. 

MVP League of Virginia (South County) won the girls 4x100 in 45.83. 

Karson Gordon from Missouri City TX bounded to a fifth-round jump of 51-4.25 (15.65m) to win the boys triple jump. 

Brayden Platt of Yelm WA threw a new US#1 228-0 to win the javelin title.

In the final event to be completed, Bryce Barkdull from Andover KS won the boys pole vault with a clearance at 16-11.50 (5.17m). 

King's WA teammates Kimberly Beard and Adrianna Coleman finished 1-2 in the girls hammer. Beard, a freshman, threw a winning mark of 168-1 (51.23m) for US#3.

Clayton Stoil, perhaps the only athlete to pull off a Philadelphia-Eugene double, won the 3,000-meter racewalk in 14:19.51. He had arrived in town at 5 a.m. after a delayed flight and a long drive from Seattle. 

Seventh-grader Ava Torgerson won the girls racewalk in a personal best 15:19.11.