June 21, 2003
PALO ALTO, Calif. – Georgia Tech freshman All-American Chaunte Howard continued an impressive return to her home state Saturday with a win in the high jump at the USA Track and Field Junior National Championships at Stanford’s Cobb Track and Angell Field.
A native of Riverside, Calif., Howard cleared 5’11.25″ to earn the title over Sharon Day, who jumped 5’10.00″. Howard, who cleared each height on her first attempt, will also compete in the event at the USATF Championships Sunday.
With the victory, Howard is now eligible for selection for the 2003 Pan Am Junior Championships, July 18-20 in Bridgetown, Barbados. The top two finishers in each event at the Junior Championships are eligible for the selection pool for this international event. The selection of teams will be at the discretion of USATF and its committees. The top eight athletes in each event at the USATF Junior Nationals are named Verizon All-Americans.
Howard earned the second collegiate All-America honor of her rookie season last weekend with a runner-up finish in the high jump at the 2003 NCAA Championships at Sacramento State.
In other action, Tech junior Amandi Rhett took 18th in the first round of the 200 meters with a time of 24.76. She placed fifth in heat four. Allyson Felix ran 23.19 for the day’s top performance.
In the junior men’s 1500 meters, Jacket freshman Rob Kuhn placed 13th in the opening round with a time of 4:00.86. The top 12 finishers advanced to Sunday’s final, led by Christopher Lukezic of Georgetown (3:57.90). Freshman Brandy Depland placed 11th in the junior women’s long jump with a leap of 18’0.25″.
Four Tech women will be in action Sunday, led by Howard in the high jump. Sophomore Shanta Smith will compete in the triple jump, while freshmen Simone Parker (discus) and Depland (triple jump) will compete in junior events.
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