Thursday, July 9, 2009

Owens-Mitchell wins bronze; Clark 5th in 100


(photo courtesy of Joy Kimani - Dyestat.com)

Bridgette Owens-Mitchell became the first Michigan high schooler to win a medal at the World Youth Championships, capturing bronze in the 100-meter hurdles. Her time of 13.39 is a new state record, breaking her own 13.46 from the semis. Running with a 0.3 (legal) wind, Isabelle Pederson of Norway won the gold at 13.23, and Kori Carter of the United States took silver in 13.26. Owens-Mitchell needed all of her lean to grab the bronze, as Finland's Lotta Harala placed 4th in 13.41.

In the 100, surprising Jordan Clark of Southfield Lathrup finished 5th in the world, clocking 11.76. In the quarterfinals she had stunned with an amazing 11.58. Teammate Ashton Purvis grabbed the bronze in the final in 11.48, as Britain's Jodie Williams won in 11.39.

Tomorrow the only remaining Michigan entrant, Max Babits, will compete in the pole vault qualifying round.

Dyestat coverage of meet, click here.

Clark makes World Youth 100 finals

Jordan Clark placed third in her semi, running 11.63 (0.4 wind) to safely make the finals at the World Youth Championships. She ranks 4th in the field based on those semi times, behind clockings of 11.40, 11.49, and 11.53. In other words, in order to stand on the medal podium, she will need to run the race of her life. The final will be in about two hours from this posting. Cross your fingers!

Owens-Mitchell makes World Youth finals

Bridgette Owens-Mitchell produced the second fastest time in the semifinals of the 100 hurdles this morning at the World Youth Championships in Sudtirol, Italy, comfortably making the finals later today. Her clocking of 13.46 with a 1.0 wind will stand as a new state record. The event is basically a return to an old category for Michigan high school stats, as the IAAF has the hurdlers running at the 30-inch height, not the 33-inches we are accustomed to. Prior to 1984, Michigan girls ran 30-inch hurdles. I'll have to do some digging on times, but the fastest I know of is a 13.6 by Kim Turner (McKenzie) in 1979--she went on to become an Olympic medalist. Owens-Mitchell's time of 13.46 betters her own PR of 13.69, and is faster on the clock than the state 33-inch record of 13.66 held by Candice Davis.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Jordan Clark 11.58!!!

Wow. I take a break from reporting on Michigan track and look what happens. We have three fine athletes representing us at the World Youth Championships in Italy: Jordan Clark of Southfield Lathrup, Bridgette Owens-Mitchell of Southfield, and Max Babits of Fowlerville.

I'll have more updates soon as I get back up to speed, but the big headline belongs to Clark. Injured in the spring, she didn't even race the 100 at the state finals. She clocked 12.26 at the Oakland County Meet. Then she showed up in Ypsilanti for the World Youth Trials, and ripped an amazing 11.82 to become the fourth fastest sprinter in Michigan history.

I just got a message from Steve Underwood at Dyestat to say that Clark is on fire in Italy, ripping a wind-legal 11.58 in her semi. That makes her No. 2 in state history behind only four performances by the legendary Shayla Mahan. The next fastest performer on the list is Vivian McKenzie of Detroit Chadsey with a 11.74 from 1982. Clark is truly in special territory now!