Hollidaysburg’s Frazier shines at national Junior Olympics
Hollidaysburg Area High School rising senior Darcie Frazier has been making quite a name for herself this summer on the national scene in track and field.
After repeating as the age 17-18 Women’s Division heptathlon champion at the United States of America Track and Field Region 2 Junior Olympic Championships at The College of New Jersey in Ewing, N.J. July 12-15, Frazier placed eighth overall and earned All-American status at the USATF Junior Olympic National Championships Monday and Tuesday at Irwin Belk Stadium on the campus of North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro, N.C.
Frazier placed eighth among 24 competitors in the seven-event heptathlon at nationals, winning the long jump with an effort of 17 feet and setting personal bests in both the javelin (96 feet) and 800 run (2 minutes, 33 seconds).
“This heptathlon competition was one of the toughest and most rewarding competitions that I’ve competed in so far,” Frazier said by phone Tuesday night from North Carolina. “On the first day, I was having a hard time mentally, and I fell behind on the leaderboard. But on the second day, I went from 14th place to take eighth place overall. I finished eighth out of 24, and these were all girls who came from all across the country to compete in this event.”
Frazier’s other times at nationals were a 17.44 in the 100 hurdles, a 4-11 in the high jump, a 29-0 in the shot put and a 26.77 in the 200 dash.
Frazier felt that maintaining her composure was a big factor in her winning the long jump.
“(The key) was mostly to just stay relaxed and not stress about what I had done and what was to come,” said Frazier, who has been a three-year qualifier in various events in the PIAA Class 3A Track and Field Championships.
Frazier’s 2:33 effort in the 800 run — Tuesday’s final event in the competition — catapulted her from 11th place to eighth place overall. The top eight finishers earned All-American recognition.
“The 800 was my last event,” Frazier said. “I was in 11th place, and I needed to bump up three places to get into eighth place. I knew what I had to do, and I ran my heart out for that race just to place.”
Frazier also put forth a personal-best effort in the javelin with a throw of 96 feet.
“I had a really good form day in the javelin,” Frazier said. “I felt confident in my throwing.”
Frazier repeated as the heptathlon champion at the USATF Region 2 Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships in New Jersey earlier this month.
Frazier set a personal record of 4,206 points to win the regional event for the second straight year. Her 4,206-point total was more than 300 points above the second-place finisher, who had 3,897.
In the seven individual events of the heptathlon, Frazier won three of them — the 200-meter dash in 26.94 seconds, the 800-meter run in 2:36.89 and the shot put with a throw of 32 feet, 7.75 inches. She also was second in the 100 hurdles (16.98) and long jump (16-9.75) and was third in the high jump (5-1.75) and javelin (95-11). She also finished sixth in the individual long jump with a 16-10.
“It honestly felt great,” Frazier said of her championship in the regional. “4,000 points was the big goal for the entire meet, and I know that I’m still improving, and I know that I have more room to get higher scores.”
Other area Region 2 winners included Altoona Area High School rising senior Michael Folcarelli in the 17-18 Men’s javelin, Penn Cambria sophomore Nicholas Marinak in the 15-16 Boys’ javelin and Cambria Heights senior Quinn McElhenny in 17-18 Women’s 3,000-meter run.
Frazier and Folcarelli competed unattached, while Marinak and McElhenny represented the Mountain Top Track and Field Club based in Cresson. Area athletes qualified for the Region 2 competition after their performances during the Three Rivers Association meet on June 23-24 at Slippery Rock University.
Folcarelli, the reigning District 6 Class 3A champion, won the 17-18 javelin with a throw of 176-11. Mountain Top’s Tyler Weigand was third (171-7), and Jacob Weigand was 10th (147-5).
Marinak won the 15-16 javelin with a throw of 165-10, and Mountain Top’s Conner Karabinos was seventh (135-9). Marinak was also sixth in the long jump (19-11.5), seventh in the 200 (23.77) and ninth in the 100 (12.04). Karabinos was also sixth in the high jump (5-3).
McElhenny won the 17-18 3,000 in 11:11.66 and also was second in the 1500 race (5:09.68).
Other Mountain Top top 10 finishers at Region 2 included:
n Kyra Vinglish, 11-12 girls, second in javelin (63-2), third in discus (53-2) and fifth in shot put (27-11.5).
n Nathan Kuntz, 15-16 boys, second in 3,000 (9:49.57) and third in 1500 (4:28.21).
n Dylan Wechtenhiser, 15-16 boys, second in 2,000 steeplechase (8:40.13).
n Miche Burkett, 17-18 women, third in javelin (91-2), fourth in discus (101-8) and fourth in hammer throw (64-8).
n Carlee Karabinos, 17-18 women, fifth in shot put (25-8) and seventh in discus (81-0).
n Camron Latterner, 13-14 boys, fifth in high jump (4-11) and seventh in triple jump (28-3.5)
n Stella Kuntz, 13-14 girls, fifth in 3,000 (11:26.36) and eighth in 1500 (5:19.18).
n Jerzy Vinglish, 13-14 girls, fifth in javelin (92-1) and seventh in shot put (32-1).
n Chloe Karabinos, 11-12 girls, sixth in high jump (4-1.25), sixth in discus (44-0) and 10th in pentathlon (1,727).
n Faith Wilson, 13-14 girls, sixth in 1500 (5:16.71), eighth in 800 (2:32.80) and ninth in pentathlon (2,032).
n Rebecca Cree, 13-14 girls, sixth in discus (84-6).
n Elijah Chyr, 9-10 boys, sixth in javelin (79-7).
n Cobin Vinglish, 9-10 boys, seventh in shot put (24-7.25) and seventh in javelin (74-8).
n Benjamin Wechtenhiser, 17-18 men, seventh in 1500 (4:36.68), seventh in 2,000 steeplechase (7:51.50) and eighth in 3,000 (10:39.25).
n Chance Wechtenhiser, 8-and-under boys, 10th in the 1500 (7:09.50).
n Brandt Patterson, 13-14 boys, 10th in javelin (97-1).
Folcarelli, Marinak, McElhenny and Kyra Vinglish are scheduled to compete at nationals this week.
Folcarelli is seeded seventh out of 50 competitors in the 17-18 javelin, which will be held Saturday, and Marinak is seeded fifth out of 52 throwers for Saturday’s 15-16 javelin.
McElhenny is ranked fourth out of 25 runners for Saturday’s 17-18 3,000 meters and is seeded 15th out of 32 runners for Thursday’s 1500 run. Vinglish is ranked 40th of 54 competitors for today’s girls’ 11-12 javelin.
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