Girls’ 60-meter hurdles national record falls

Numerous others follow suit at 2008 Simplot Games

Pocatello, Idaho- This year’s Simplot Games set some high standards for the rest of the track and field season. If this is any indication of what is to come, it should be a great year to follow high school track and field.

One national record, three meet records, two national class records, a couple national best marks for 2008, and an uncountable number of personal bests highlighted the Games.

Jacquelyn Coward, a senior from Knoxville, Tenn., sets a new 60-meter hurdles national record with her time of 8.16 seconds. She already owned the previous record as well.
Shade Weygandt, a junior from Mansfield, Texas, set a new Simplot Games meet record in the pole vault with a jump of 13’1”.
Michael Hancock, a senior, from Denver, Colo., blazed in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.78, setting a new Simplot Games meet record.
Luke Puskedra, a senior from Salt Lake City, Utah, broke his own meet record, which he set last year, with a time of 4:10.58. He beat the rest of the competition by six seconds.
Patrice Gates, from Marietta, Ga., placed second in the girls’ weight throw and broke the national sophomore record of 53’11”, with a throw of 54’0-1/8”.
Ashton Purvis, a sophomore from Oakland, Calif., set a sophomore record while winning the girls’ 200 meters with a time of 23.54. She also won the 60 meters in 7.38 seconds, which is the #2 time in the U.S. this year.
Andre’ McDonald, a senior from Kansas City, Mo., won gold in the long jump with a height of 23’10”, and placed second in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.9. He also participated in the high jump getting second at 6’8” and placed 6th in the triple jump at 46’5”.
Vashti Thomas, a senior from San Jose, Calif., set a U.S. #2 this year in the long jump with a jump of 19’10 ¼”. She also won silver in the 60-meter hurdles with her time of 8.27 which is #3 all time.
Natalie Stewart won the 400 meters with a time of 54.41, which is the fastest time in the U.S. this year. She also led off the Spanish Fork Track Team’s sprint medley relay team who took first with a time of 4:05.76.
Dominick Roberts, a senior from Aurora, Colo., won the 400 meters with a time of 47.98. This is second in the nation this year.
DeMario House, a senior from Charlotte, N.C., won the 200 meters from the morning heat with a time of 21.87, which is the 4^th fastest time in 2008.
Omar Craddock, a junior from Killeen, Texas, won the triple jump at 50’10-1/2”. This is second in the nation this year.

More than 2,000 athletes came from across the U.S. and Canada to participate in the 30^th annual Simplot Games. Simplot Games remains the nation’s premier high school indoor track and field event. Sponsored by the J.R. Simplot Company since 1979, the Simplot Games were held February 14-16; at Idaho State University’s Holt Arena is Pocatello, Idaho.

For more information on Simplot Games, please visit our website at www.simplotgames.com. You may also contact Carol Lish at (208) 235-5604 or the media team at Simplot_Games@yahoo.com.

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