Track and Field: K-M\'s Duran finishes four-event sweep

Track and Field: K-M\'s Duran finishes four-event sweep

By Sandy Ringer

Seattle Times staff reporter

SUMNER — Jessica Duran is driven by an inner desire.

Duran, a Kent-Meridian senior who was a little-known track-and-field athlete last year, is making a name for herself with her versatility. She made her mark at the South Puget Sound League sub-district meet Friday at Sunset Chev Stadium, completing a four-event sweep she began Wednesday.

\"I just want to prove to myself I can do what I set out to do,\" Duran said.

Her goal is to place in the top five at the Class 4A state meet in four events — 100-meter hurdles, 300 hurdles, long jump and shot put. Friday, she won the shot put (38 feet, 6 ½ inches) and clocked the fastest qualifying time in the 300 hurdles (44.48).

Wednesday, Duran won the long jump (17-5 ½) and had the best time in the 100 hurdles (14.99). All except the long jump were personal bests. This season, she has competed in every event except the pole vault, 1,600 and 3,200.

\"It\'s challenging to do a bunch of different events,\" she said. \"I like being all over the place. It\'s refreshing.\"

Duran is looking forward to the West Central/Southwest 4A bi-district meet next weekend, where she will face Auburn Riverside\'s Julie Futch in the 300 hurdles. Futch, headed to Oregon State on a basketball scholarship, won her heat Friday in 45.31 and is just beginning to warm up after a late start to the season.

In the shot put, Duran topped Kentwood\'s Megan Tyler, who was bidding for her third victory of the meet. Wednesday, Tyler won the discus with a toss of 131-9, her personal best by eight feet. Friday, Tyler added the javelin title, throwing 117-7, a PR by 10 feet. Her mark in the shot was 38-1, a half-foot shy of her top throw. She popped one over 39 feet on her last try, but scratched.

Tyler credited her discus performance to some extra coaching by former Kentwood star Will Conwell, who has developed into one of the nation\'s top college throwers at Washington.

Katrina Drennen of Sumner looked like silk running the girls 1,600 in 4:50.47, a meet record by more than eight seconds. It was the second-fastest time in the state this year behind Mount Spokane\'s Meagan O\'Reilly (4:47.98). Wednesday, Drennen won the 3,200 with a state-best 10:35.42.

The boys 1,600 offered redemption for Kentwood\'s Michael Chinchar, who was second in the 3,200 Wednesday behind Joe Churchill of Auburn Riverside. Friday, Chinchar had the stronger finish, coming from behind in the final 100 meters to win in 4:16.95.

\"I was feeling really great on that last lap,\" Chinchar said. \"I was feeling it.\"

Churchill made no excuses.

\"I got outkicked,\" he said.

Tahoma won the boys and girls team titles.

Notes

• J.J. Jackson of Sumner turned in the day\'s fastest time in the 200 (22.23), coming from behind to nip Ezra John Griffey of Decatur (22.24). Tahoma\'s Sean Skidmore, who had the best 100 time on Wednesday (11.08), won his heat in 22.45. Jackson also clocked a 38.15 in the 300 low hurdles, giving him three meet bests. Wednesday, he ran the 110 high hurdles in a hand-held 14.2.

• Stephan Praast of Tahoma equaled his personal best of 6-6 to win the high jump.

• Jefferson teammates Tim Satterwhite and Abraham Kinlow went 1-2 in the boys triple jump with respective marks of 44-8 ¾ and 44-6 ¾. Erika Hughes of Decatur won the girls event at 37-7 ½.

• Princess Joy Griffey, the Decatur senior who has two state titles in the 100 and is the defending champion in the 200, continued to battle a strained hamstring, and had a fever. Still, she won her heat of the 200 in 25.71.

Sandy Ringer: 206-718-1512 or sringer@seattletimes.com

Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company