Team USA wins 28 gold medals at NACAC Championships
By Jared Slinde, USATF
Posted Tuesday, 17 July, 2007
Team USA left its mark on San Salvador, El Salvador, over the weekend by claiming 28 gold medals, nine silver medals and six bronze at the North America, Central America and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Championships.
The U.S. is one of the 32 member nations of the NACAC, one of six regional athletics associations affiliated with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). A total of 26 nations were represented in San Salvador.
Of the 28 gold medals won by Team USA, 16 were earned on the men's side with the other 12 belonging to the women. It was able to dominate because of its depth, claiming top honors in 28 out of a total 40 events. Team USA also demonstrated its resiliency as adverse weather conditions plagued the meet throughout and afternoon rain became commonplace over the three-day competition.
A total of five individuals for Team USA - three women and two men - were able to win multiple events.
Mary Harrelson (Knoxville, Tenn.) won both the 800 meter run and the 1,500m run during the multi-day competition. Harrelson ran 2 minutes, 5.10 seconds and 4:30.09, respectively.
Debbie Dunn (Norfolk, Va.) won the 400m dash in 52.68 seconds before anchoring the 4x400m relay in 3:29.15. Latosha Wallace (Baltimore, Md.) won the 400m hurdles in 56.54 seconds, before running the leadoff leg on the 4x400m team.
On the men's side, Jordan Vaden (Concord, N.C.) won the 200m dash (20.17) and also ran the second leg on Team USA's winning 4x100m relay (38.99).
Calvin Smith (Lutz, Fla.) won the 400m hurdles in 45.52 seconds before running the second leg on the winning 4x400m relay, which won in a time of 3:02.78.
Additional women gold medal winners for Team USA included: Mechelle Lewis (Fort Washington, Md.) 100m - 11.37; Whitney McDonald (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) 5,000m -16:42.12; Kristin Anderson (Richfield, Ohio) 3,000m steeplechase -10:21.82; Candice Davis (Ann Arbor, Mich.) 100m hurdles - 13.12; Shameka Marshall (Mizpah, N.J.) long jump - 6.34m/20-09.75; Becky Holliday (Eugene, Ore.) pole vault - 4.15m/13-07.5; Jessica Cosby (Mission Hills, Calif.) hammer throw - 65.15m/213-09 and Stephanie Trafton (Galt, Calif.) discus - 59.27m/194-05.
Also claiming gold for the men were: Golden Coachman (Birmingham, Ala.) 800m-1:49.01; Benjamin Bruce (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) 5,000m -14:27.90; Michael Spence (Ogden, Utah) 3,000m steeplechase - 8:39.51; Dexter Faulk (Kansas City, Kan.) 110m hurdles -13.35; Laron Bennett (Athens, Ga.) 400m hurdles - 48.76; Adam Shunk (Muncie, Ind.) high jump - 2.23m/7-03.75; Marc Kellman (Haymarket, Va.) triple jump - 16.50m/54-01.75; Rhuben Williams (Athens, Ga.) shot put - 18.43m/60-05.75 and Justin St. Clair (Hammond, La.) javelin - 73.16m/240-0.
Claiming silver medals for Team USA were: Alexis Wetherspoon (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 100m dash - 11.43; Shareese Woods (Fort Lee, Va.) 200m dash - 22.97; Tifany Ofili (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 100m hurdles - 13.27; Tiombe Hurd (Upper Marlboro, Md.) triple jump - 13.22m/43-04.5; Anna Raynor (Benson, N.C.) javelin - 50.86m/166-10; Monzavous Edwards (Kansas City, Kan.) 100m dash - 10.32; Michael Mitchell (Torrance, Calif.) 200m dash - 20.48; Tyrone Harris (Miami, Fl.) long jump - 7.83m/25-08.25.
For more information on Team USA at the 2007 NACAC Championships, visit www.usatf.org.
Contact:
Jared Slinde
Communications Intern
USA Track & Field
317-261-0500
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