Claye Wins U.S. Jr. National Title

June 28, 2009

EUGENE, Ore. -- Oklahoma freshman Will Claye continued to add hardware to his trophy case Sunday with a triple jump title at the U.S. Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore. Already the U.S. Junior National record holder in the event, Claye earned his second spot on the U.S. Junior National Team for the Pan American Championships in as many days after finishing second in the long jump Saturday.

Claye destroyed the field in the competition, winning by over five feet with a jump of 56-3.00 (17.14) on his third attempt as Manhattan's Albert Johnson took second with a top jump of 51-0.00 (15.54). Had he elected to pass his final five jumps, Claye would have won the event with just one jump, recording a jump of 55-2.75 (16.83) on his first attempt. In fact, any of Claye's jumps would have won the competition as his shortest jump of 53-9.75 (16.40) was close to three feet longer than the field's. Had Claye competed in the senior division of the U.S. Championships, the mark would have been good for second

The first-year Sooner who turned 18 the day he won the NCAA Championship in the event on June 13, broke a 27-year old U.S. Junior National record in the event at the Big 12 Championships in May before breaking his own record at the NCAA Championships. The U.S. Junior National title is the fifth major triple jump title of the season for the Phoenix native who also won both the Big 12 Indoor and Outdoor titles along with the NCAA Midwest Regional title and the aforementioned NCAA title.

The 18-year old will now travel to Trinidad & Tobago for the Pan American Junior Athletics Championships, July 31 - Aug. 1st where he will compete in both the triple and long jump. Claye's classmate Alex Madkins will also travel to the event as the alternate in the long jump after finishing third in the event on Saturday.

The Big 12 champion in the event, Ti'Anca Mock finished sixth in the long jump, the highest finish by a collegiate competitor. Mock's top jump of 21-1.50 (6.44) came on her third attempt as the sophomore moved from eighth to sixth with the performance. Nike's Brittney Reese won the event by close to a full foot with a jump of 23-3.25 (7.09).

Leslie Cole ran just off her personal best of 22.92 in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.93 in the semifinals of the event. The Idabel, Okla., native just missed qualifying for the finals of the event as she finished 11th overall. Adidas' Allyson Felix won the event with a time of 22.02.

Freshman Ross Larimer finished 12th in the junior division of the 1,500-meter run with a time of 3:57.59. The performance came one day after the first-year Sooner ran a PR of 3:54.98 in the event.

Another Oklahoma freshman, Kevin Williams, finished 16th in the junior division of the 5,000-meter run with a time of 15:26.69.

Oklahoma alum Kevin Bookout finished first in his flight and 11th overall in the men's shot put with a throw of 62-9.50 (19.14). The program record holder in the event, Bookout recently returned to the sport after a brief absence. Nike's Christian Cantwell won the event with a toss of 71-7.25 (21.82).

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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