Nilsen, Duplantis top out over 18 feet in PV

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Both national high school record holders, Chris Nilsen and Mondo Duplantis competed against one another for the first time outdoors -- and the spectacle that ensued lived up to expectations. 

Nilsen, the outdoor record holder from Park Hill MO, backed up his superlative 18-4.75 from two weeks ago by getting over the bar cleanly at 18-3 on his third attempt. It was a meet record and tied the third-best vault in prep history.

Duplantis, the talented sophomore from Lafayette LA, faced his first serious competition since March and made it over 18-0 for a new outdoor personal best. It is, of course, a sophomore class national record and within an inch of the indoor record he set during the winter (18-0.50).

Nilsen had the bar raised to 5.65m (18-6.50) and mumbled words of encouragement to himself as he tried to muster the confidence to aggressively go for it. 

"It is a little intimidating," Nilsen said of looking at the bar so high. But with three reasonable attempts under his belt and two weeks to prepare for New Balance Nationals, Nilssen is determined to test his limits.

Duplantis wanted 18-3, too, but admitted that three attempts to get over 17 feet was a scenario that burned too much of his energy early in the competition. He is looking forward to a rematch at NBNO in Greensboro, N.C. and then a mini-tour of Europe that will include the Swedish national championships. 

On the track, flashes of speed and stepped up competition ruled the day at the 41st Great Southwest Classic, which is a scored meet in which competitors run for their home state. 

The addition of a handful of Jamaicans created a heightened sense of duty, especially for a quartet of sprinters from Texas. Wearing black singlets that were labeled "USA," the Texas all-stars blitzed the 4x100 relay in 39.20 seconds. The Jamaicans were a distant second.

In the boys 100 meters, there was a spectacular dual between two sprinters from that relay. Shivnarine Smalling from Jamaica ran 10.08 and outleaned Texan Jace Comick, who was second in 10.09. The race was run in the opposite direction and was aided by a 3.0 m/s wind reading. It's the third-fastest time for a  Texan under any conditions.

A much anticipated showdown in the 400 meters between Jamaican Akeem Bloomfield, Texan Keshun Reed and Florida phenom Tyrese Cooper did not go off as planned. Bloomfield pulled out after an injury in the 4x100 and Reed did not make the trip, also because of injury. 

Cooper ran 46.04 seconds and won the event easily.

The boys 200 meters was much more competitive. Texas state champ Shamon Ehiemua felt the heat of Maxwell Willis and Cooper, but brought it home in 20.56. Willis was second in 20.71 and Cooper was third in 20.74.

KaTia Seymour of Palatka FL had a breakout performance, crushing the field in the 100 meters with 11.26 (1.9 legal wind) and then scoring another big PR in the 200 with 23.44.

In the girls 800 meters, Montana champion Christina Aragon ran a blistering 30-second first 200 and paid for a bit late -- but still broke her own meet record with 2:06.09. Chasing from behind was Nevada state champion Karina Haymore, who ran a personal best 2:08.55.

Texans Milan Young and Charles Brockman III ruled the 300-meter hurdles. Young ran 41.87 to win the girls final and Brockman ran a very fast 36.39. 

Brody Smith of Cody, Wyo. and McKay Johns of American Fork, Utah pushed each other to the two fastest mile times in meet history. Smith, who two nights earlier ran at the Festival of Miles in St. Louis, ran 4:10.70. McKay, who ran within arm's length most of the way, ran 4:11.20.