Nations’ Top Athletes Shine at 2010 Simplot Games

by Tyler Gibbons

One national class record and two meet records fall; numerous top U.S. marks set

The Nation’s premier indoor track and field event is a venue where the best high school athletes come to test their mettle against the best – the best competition, the best environment, and the best atmosphere.

The distinctive and unique Simplot Games produces plenty of excitement from the all involved, but especially the athletes.

A year after shattering the national freshman record in the 60-meter hurdles, sophomore Trinity Wilson, from Oakland, Calif., returned to Pocatello with the same intentions.

Mission accomplished.

“I just brought everything that I’ve been working on in practice to the race,” Wilson said. “And I got it done.”

Wilson won the hurdle event in a national sophomore record 8.29 seconds.

“I always tell people Simplot’s my favorite meet,” Wilson said. “From now on, if something will ever go down it’s going to happen right here at Simplot.”

Only a sophomore, there is no telling what she has in store for Simplot in the next two years. An extremely scary thought for the rest of the field.

“I’m going to keep practicing and keep working,” Wilson said. “When next year comes around, watch out. I’ll be ready.”

Other top performances from Saturday’s finals include:

· Fuqauwn Greene, a senior from New Bern, N.C., set a new Simplot Games record in the 200 meters with a time of 21.41.

· Throw1 Deep’s Shelby Ashe, a junior from Marietta, Ga., set a new Simplot Games weight throw record with a toss of 60’5”, the fifth best high school throw of all-time.

· Kasen Covington (senior from Boise, Idaho) the top ranked high school triple jumper in the U.S. won both the long jump (23’ 6”), and triple jump (48’ 0-1/4”).

· Ashton Purvis (senior from Oakland, Calif.,) the nation’s top girls sprinter, completed her Simplot 3-peat. For the third year in a row, Purvis left Pocatello with victories in the 60- (7.36 seconds), and 200-meter dashes 23.54).

· Kelsey Brown (senior from Orem, Utah) recorded the fastest time in the nation for the girls’ 800 meters with a time of 2:11.04

· Georgia’s Throw1 Deep was well represented on the podium, claiming all 12 places on the girls’ and boys’ weight throw division, along several medallists in the boys’ shot put (including the Davis Fraker, who won the boys’ weight throw and shot put).

· Zach Blackham, a senior from Orem, Utah, matched the third best high jump in the nation this year (6’10”) while winning the high jump with some encouragement from Olympic legend Dick Fosbury.

· Tara Richmond, a senior from Long Beach, Calif., swept the high jump, (5’8”), and triple jump, (38’3”).

· Chris Mamon, a senior from Fairfield, Calif., won the boys 60-meter hurdles with the sixth best time in the country this year (8.01).