Snyder Wins National Championship

June 21, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS - The stellar OU track and field season continues.

University of Oklahoma freshman Kevin Snyder won the junior national high jump title Thursday at the United States Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the Michael A. Carroll Stadium.

Snyder breezed through the competition, winning the junior division for athletes under 20 years of age in 2007, and was the only athlete to clear 6 feet, 11.75 inches (2.13 meters).

Only four of the 14 athletes even made attempts at 6-11.75 and all missed their first attempts. Snyder, the third jumper in the series, cleared on his second attempt.

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Eric Thompson of Herrin, Illinois, who will attend the University of Arkansas next fall, earned second as one of the three jumpers over 6-10.75 (2.10).

Snyder, an Edmond, Okla., native, will represent the U.S. at the Pan American Junior Athletics Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil, July 6-8.

Snyder is the second Sooner to win a junior national title. Jessica Eldridge won the 1500-meter run junior national title in 2004.

Scottesha Miller took 11th after a tough day in the junior women's long jump. Miller had to be conservative on her third and final attempt of the preliminary rounds, leaping just 18-4.25 (5.59). Miller toe fouled her first two attempts, which easily would have advanced her to the finals.

Jamesha Youngblood (Hercules, Calif.) was the champion at 20-8.50 (6.31).

The U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships and Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships continue through Sunday.

Tonight, Toni Smith (women's triple jump), Eldridge (women's 1500-meter run) and Yolanda Goff (women's 100-meter dash) compete. Former Sooner DaBryan Blanton (men's 100-meter dash) also begins his quest for a national title tonight.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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