Southfield’s Penington wins two AAU Junior Olympic Games events
July 31st, 2008
Originally posted at www.hometownlife.com on July 31, 2008
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By Mike Rosenbaum
DETROIT — As of Tuesday afternoon, John Penington of Southfield had won two events at the AAU Junior Olympic Games, which began Saturday and runs through this Saturday. Penington won the sub-midget (11-year-old) 3,000-meter run Monday with a time of 10:17.82 and followed with a victory in the 1500 meters (4:47.51) Tuesday. Southfield’s Gianni Wile was seventh in the 3000 (10:57.40) and 16th in the 1500 (5:12.07). Keith Erichsen of Farmington Hills was 19th in the 1500 (5:13.67). The track and field portion of the AAU Junior Olympic Games is being held at Eastern Michigan University.
Southfield’s Briana Ratchford earned a medal by finishing third in the youth division (14 years old) outdoor pentathlon Sunday, scoring 3028 points in the five-event competition. Ratchford’s top event was the shot put, which she won with a toss measuring 12.55 meters. The top eight competitors in each event receive a medal.
Two area residents finished in the top 10 of the young women’s (17-18 years old) heptathlon, which concluded Sunday. Recent Southfield-Lathrup graduate Tofunmi Akeredolu was seventh in the seven-event competition with 4277 points while West Bloomfield High’s Shelleyse Richardson was ninth with 4162.
Also on Sunday, Southfield’s Monica Leaphart finished 11th in the sub-bantam (9 years old) 1,500-meter race walk, with a time of 11:24.57. Southfield’s Christopher Nichols was ninth in the boys version of the event, finishing in 14:54.75.
On Tuesday, Akeredolu was 21st in the young women’s long jump (17-feet, 2.5 inches). Vonnegut Pallett of Southfield was 18th in the boys sub-midget discus (64-6) and 19th in the shot put (28-0.5). Southfield’s Leslie King was fifth in the girls sub-midget shot (28-3) and 13th in the discus (52-2). Alexandra Payne of Lathrup Village was 22nd in the girls sub-bantam shot put (16-8.5). Jordan Moore-Willis of Southfield was 21st in the girls midget (12-year-old) long jump (13-11.25) while Taylor Moore-Willis was 13th in the girls intermediate (15-16 years old) javelin (86-9). Rochester’s Isaac Marshall was 24th in the young men’s long jump (21-6.25).
In the young women’s discus, West Bloomfield’s Kelsey Prena was 10th (125-10) while Kari Prena was 11th (124-10). Southfield’s Adriane Roberson earned a medal by placing seventh in the girls bantam (10 years old) shot put (25-5.5), while Michelle Ratchford of Southfield took 21st (20-8.75). Sierra Barnes of Southfield tied for 21st in the girls sub-youth (13 years old) high jump (4-6), while West Bloomfield’s James Austin finished 17th in the boys midget long jump (16-1).
