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EUGENE, Ore. ? University of South Florida freshman Casey Wagner captured the javelin title at the 2009 USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships Saturday afternoon to highlight a successful weekend for current and former USF athletes.
Four freshmen competed at the junior championships, while two former USF athletes took part in the 2009 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon.
Wagner threw 150-0 feet to pace the field of 18, outdistancing the second-place finisher by a foot and a half. The USF record holder in the javelin becomes the first junior national champion in USF history.
“It was very nerve-wracking,” said Wagner. “I just wanted to come out here and do my best. That's what I did and I got rewarded for that.”
With the win, Wagner qualifies for the 2009 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships, which will be held at Hasley Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad from July 31-August 2.
“It's a testament to her hard work all year and the dedication she's put in that got her to this point,” said USF head coach Warren Bye.
Wagner finished second at the outdoor BIG EAST Championships, setting the school record with a mark of 152-8 feet. In just her first collegiate season, the All-BIG EAST performer took ninth at the NCAA East Regional.
But it took a late comeback and a battle with the wind for Wagner to capture the crown Saturday.
“It (the wind) played a little havoc in the beginning. It was getting to me,” she said. “I've thrown against the wind before. It's just another hazard you have to get by in order to win.”
The best of Wagner's first three throws was 142-5 feet before her winning throw of 150 on her fourth attempt.
“I was struggling in the beginning and pulled it together,” she said. “I got mad. I'm a competitor. When I'm losing when I think I should be up far, I just get mad and that's what happened. I just put things together and it worked out for me.”
Fellow USF freshman Jared Thomas took fifth in the discus Saturday, setting a new personal record with a throw of 185-10 feet. Thomas earned All-America status with his finish.
“He had a good PR and overall had a very good day,” said Bye. “Congratulations to him and to coach (Toby) Colyer for the hard work they've put in and the great job they've done this year.”
Thomas, the school record holder in the discus, broke his previous best of 181-2 feet, set at the LSU Alumni Gold meet in April.
In other action, freshman Allie Prendergast took eighth in the 3,000 meters Sunday with a time of 10:39.71.
On Friday, rookie Atasha Warren finished 14th in the shot put with a heave of 44-6.75 feet.
Also, former All-American and Bulls track and field star Damu Cherry grabbed third in final of the 100-meter hurdles Sunday, finishing with a time of 12.58.
Cherry, whose 12.44 earlier in the day in the semifinal had been the fastest time in the world before the final, qualified for the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Berlin this August.
“For the final, I was really nervous because I was a little tired,” Cherry said. “But I'm really happy I can run 12.58 and be on the team. I'm pumped and ready to go. We have a strong team.”
Chandra Brewer, also a former All-American for USF, finished seventh in the shot put Friday with a throw of 56-4.5 feet.
