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2003 Club Championships: KC Smoke
Places Fourth Overall
Newcomer Kansas City Smoke placed third in the men's standing and fourth overall
at the 2003 USATF National Club Team Championships.
The Indianapolis Invaders men's team posted its first USATF National Club Team
Championship, winning nine individual events and two relays en route to setting
four meet records.
Invaders' Brandon Hon posted a 2004 Olympic Trials qualifying mark twice in the
110HH with a 13.97 in the preliminary
round and a career best of 13.89 to win the final. In winning the 800, Jacob
Koczman also hit an Olympic Trials qualifying standard for the Invaders,
improving on his career best set July 5th at the New Balance Maine Distance
Festival with a time of 1:47.72. Greater Boston, trailing the Invaders'
commanding total of 222 points, took second with 136 points followed by USATF
National Club Championship newcomer Kansas City Smoke in third with 94 points to
Lords of the Rings' fourth place finish with 61 points.
The competitive highlight of the Championship came from the final relay with a
three way battle from wire-to-wire in the men's 4x400, where three teams
finished the meet fighting for a relay title. The three-way photo finish had the
Kansas City Smoke winning in 3:12.10 while Phenom Athlete(s) took second in
3:12.46, and Greater Boston was third in 3:12.81. Phenom Athlete(s), using the
relays to their tactical advantage, scratched from all of the individual events
and improved to 10th in the men's team scoring from their 16th place finish in
2002.
Overall 25 teams scored, 21 new meet records were established, 12 athletes
posted marks meeting or exceeding the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying
standard, athlete participation increased by 50%, and athletes representing
communities from 31 different states competed.
The 12 athletes posting marks meeting US Olympic Trials qualifying standards
included Jacob Koczman (800 - 1:47.72; Invaders), Brandon Hon (110HH - 13.89;
Invaders), Joey Scott (110HH - 13.99; PTC Elite), Regan Nichols (400H - 50.02;
U.S. Army), Quinton Milner (400H - 50.11; U.S. Army), Scott Boothby (Hammer -
67.50; Club Northwest), Mike Milakovic (Hammer - 66.70; Pacific Bay TC), Kirt
Thompson (Javelin - 76.31; Invaders), Nolle Graham (100 - 11.21; LeMans TC),
Crystal Cox (200 - 22.98; North Carolina Elite), Aisha James (Long Jump - 6.45;
Unattached), and Colleen Scott (Triple Jump - 13.32; Unattached).
Meet Director and Invaders' Team Director Greg Harger said, "This club
championship is doing for track and field clubs what we have seen emerge for
cross country clubs with the fall club championship; a growing sense of team and
community pride. Our athletes enjoyed for the first time a real sense of pride
and a sense of team honor along with a healthy respect for the competitive
aspect
of this rapidly improving club championship. Greater Boston's team effort in
2002 was just what our team needed to grow as a club in terms of club pride. We
expect the number of clubs and the strength of the clubs competing to grow again
with the 2004 meet. The intensity of the meet overall bumped up another notch
and with next year's meet I'm sure that we will see even greater competition for
every point. We saw from the relay results and with the number of athletes
hitting 2004 Olympic Trials qualifying standards that this meet could be a
significant event in the U.S. in the near future."
Harger added, "The prospects of additional support from USA Track & Field and
those elements responsible for the development of our sport to make this an
event of excellence for fans and athletes alike has never been better. We have
much work remaining in front
of us but we are very encouraged by the prospects and possibilities."
Top 15 Teams in Overall Scoring:
1) Indiana Invaders 490
2) Greater Boston TC 252
3) Lords of the Rings 128
4) Kansas City Smoke 94
5) LeMans TC 68
6) First Step TC 64
7) North Carolina Elite 55
8) Firebird TC 43
9) PTC Elite 40
10) U.S. Army 38
11) Ozark Track League 32
12) Club Northwest 29
13) Phenom Athletes 23
14) Buffalo Chips RC 12
15) Bruin TC 11
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