Area track & field competitors fare very well at AAU Junior Olympics. Plus swimming standouts
Leikel Cabrera of Miami Elite won a national championship in the javelin throw in the boys’ 17-18 age group during the AAU Junior Olympic Games at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
His winning throw 228-feet, 4-inches, a personal best. That throw was centimeters from breaking the meet record.
Arianna Woolcock of Five Star General Athletics also won a national title. She finished first in the 200 in the girls’ 14 division in 24.87 seconds and placed seventh in the finals of the 100 in 12.48. In the 400 relay, Woolcock teamed with Bria Walker, Jordyn Downing and Malikah Mais for sixth in 49.14. She later teamed with Anteonna Ford, Jada Berry, Mais and Downing for eighth in the 1600 relay in 4:17.61.
In the girls’ 15-16 age group, 400 hurdles: 15-16: 3. Kashia Hoo of Five Star General Athletics was third in the 400 hurdles in 1:02.28. Teammate and sister Kahalia Hoo was seventh in the finals in 1:04.10 and seventh in the 100 hurdles in 15.42.
Joshua Gammage of Fort Lauderdale Track Club was runner-up in the 1500 in the boys’ 15-16 division at 4:05.50. Luke Anderson of Salado, Texas was first in 3:57.14. Gammage also placed ninth in the 800 at 1:55.83.
Stone Strokin of Coral Springs was fifth in the decathlon in boys’ 15-16. He totaled 5,222 points (Javelin: 1st 158-00; Shot put: 7th 34-06.25; Pole vault: 8th 10-06.00; 1500: 9th 4:59.98; 110 hurdles: 9th 16.99; Long jump: 10th 18-02.25; 400: 12th 55.66; 100: 13th 12.08; High jump: 13th 5-05.00; Discus: 17th 79-03).
In 14 boys, Ashton Mitchell of Five Star General Athletics was fifth in the 800 in 2:01.77 and 14th in the 400 at 52.35. He joined forces with Brendon Simmons, Timothy Kelly and Travarous Bain for seventh in the 1600 relay at 3:36.94.
More results of locals: GIRLS: 1500: 14: 35. Aleah Sawyer (Tacolcy Raiders) 5:26.59. 3000: 14: 20. Aleah Sawyer (Tacolcy Raiders) 11:30.20. Shot put: 14: 22. Shakilah Woodside (South Dade Express) 35-06.75. Discus: 14: 45. Unique Watson (Fort Lauderdale Track Club) 64-01. Javelin: 14: 34. Unique Watson (Fort Lauderdale TC) 57-02. Discus: 15-16: 14. Sariyah Lewis (Fort Lauderdale Track Club) 107-06.
Long jump: 17-18: 18. Amaya Pleas of Miami (Unattached) 17-07. Heptathlon: 200: 17-18: 12. Nerya Vassell (Five Star General Athletics) 26.71. Heptathlon: 17-18: 30. Nerya Vassell (Five Star General Athletics) 3004 pts.
BOYS: Shot put: 14: 37: Jeaniko Hyacinthe (Fort Lauderdale Track Club) 33-03. Discus: 14: 28. Jeaniko Hyacinthe (Fort Lauderdale TC) 112-09. Javelin: 14: 39. Jeaniko Hyacinthe (Fort Lauderdale TC) 83-00. 1500: 15-16: 42. Malcolm Spence (Five Star General Athletics) 4:29.54. Long jump: 15-16: 30. Alexander Lopez (Five Star General Athletics) 19-10.75; 40. Jeremiah Adras (Five Star General Athletics) 19-02. Triple jump: 15-16: 20. Jeremiah Adras (Five Star General Athletics) 41-09.25.
Discus: 15-16: 52. Timothy Koonce (Honest Runners of North Miami) 88-00. 1500: 17-18: 23. Layken Nungester (Goulds Panthers Track Club) 4:14.71. 3000: 17-18: 16. Layken Nungester (Goulds Panthers TC) 9:43.54. Long jump: 17-18: 60. Christopher Lumpkin (Five Star General Athletics) 19-08. Triple jump: 17-18: Christopher Lumpkin (Five Star General Athletics) 37-11.50.
Swimming
John Albornoz and Brian Hamilton of Coral Springs Swim Club were selected to represent Florida Gold Coast Swimming in the boys’ 13-14 age group at the USA Swimming Southern Zone Age Group Championships in Cary, North Carolina.
They helped Florida Gold Coast place fifth of 12 teams.
Albornoz totaled 15 points during his six individual events. He set a personal best -- cutting nine seconds off his time -- in the 1500-meter freestyle, finishing ninth.
Albornoz was a finals qualifier in the 200-meter individual medley and 400-meter individual medley. He was 13th in the 400 IM and 15th in the 200 IM with a PR in the preliminary session. He also swam the 100-meter breaststroke, 200-meter breaststroke and the 400-meter freestyle. He set another PR in the 200 breast.
Hamilton qualified for the finals in the 50-meter freestyle, placing 12th. In the 100-meter breaststroke, he improved his best time by 2.52 seconds. He also competed in the 100-meter freestyle, 200-meter freestyle, 100-meter butterfly, and 200-meter individual medley.
Hamilton and John Albornoz each swam five relay events for FGC as well.
Hamilton anchored the 400-meter freestyle relay team which placed fourth and had the fastest split on the 200-meter freestyle relay which also was fourth. He swam freestyle on the 400-meter medley relay team which was ninth. Albornoz swam breaststroke for the 400-meter medley relay team which was 12th and was a member of the 200-meter freestyle relay team (14th overall) and 400-meter freestyle team (15th overall).
Hamilton and John Albornoz teamed on the mixed 200-meter medley relay team, which was 10th and the boys’ 200 meter-medley relay team which was 13th.
Submit sports info
For high schools in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, if you have varsity results and top performers (with stats), email hssports@miamiherald.com.
They will run in the newspaper and online. Photos accepted, too. No deadline. Send after the game, the next day or weekly. You will be alerted when it will appear in the newspaper and online.
---
Roundup compiled by Jim Varsallone
jvarsallone@miamiherald.com
This story was originally published August 16, 2023 at 12:09 AM.
