The action on the track continues to be as hot as the California sun at the 35th annual USA Track & Field Junior Olympic Championships in Sacramento on Wednesday. This is the final meet of the Verizon Youth Series.

The meet, being webcast live by USATF, in cooperation with i2sports Trackmeets.com, is taking place at California State University, Sacramento, site of the 2000 and 2004 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials.

Team Idaho’s Donovan Kilmartin, who competed last week at the World Youth Athletics Championships in Debrecen, Hungary, won the young men’s decathlon (7405) by nearly 1000 points to cap off an exciting day full of record-breaking performances. Kilmartin’s overall point total bettered the previous mark of 7377 points by Marcell Allmond in 1999.

For the first time in Junior Olympic history, athletes competed at a 5000m race walk in two age divisions, young men/women and intermediate boys and girls. The event, which was contested for the first time at the increased distance at the USA Youth Athletic National Championships in Decatur, Ill. July 3-7th, saw a new record in each of the four events.

Local favorite Robyn Stevens (West Wind Flyers), won the young women’s division in 25:20.51, breaking the Decatur (Ill.) record time (28:09.82). Stevens, a 2001 graduate of Vacaville (CA) High School, lives less than an hour from Sacramento and will attend the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in the fall. Matt Boyles, competing unattached, won the young men’s race (21:58.42), lowering the previous mark (32:09.22) by almost 11 minutes.

In the intermediate division, Zackery Pollinger (NJ Striders) won the boys competition (24:47.85), while Spartanburg’s Erica Adams won the girls competition (27:52.90). The previous record times (from Decatur) were 26:07.81 (for the intermediate boys) and 28:04.59 (for the intermediate girls).

In the youth division, Salem TC’s Jared Swehosky (16:04.36) won the boys 3000m race walk, while Audra Curtis, competing unattached, won the girls 3000 race walk (15:33.46).

Edging out her twin sister by almost 300 points, Texas Express’ Diana Pickler (5365) won the young women’s heptathlon in a new Junior Olympic meet record. Julie Pickler finished with 5068 points, edging out a late surge from New Braunfels TC’s Lauren Reimer (5043). The previous young women’s heptathlon mark (5104) was set in 1998 by Ellanee Richardson. Also in record fashion, Kiani Profit (Pasadena Running Rose) won the midget girls pentathlon (3111) under the new format that includes the 80m hurdles. Profit lowered the previous mark of 2930 points, set in 2000 by Tiffany Chavis. In the bantam boys triathlon, Rising Stars’ Marcus Davis (966) edged out LA Jets Vaness Harris (762) in the final event to win the overall competition. Harris, who was leading 682-658 heading into the 400m event, finished 11th (1:13.09) in the 400m, while Davis won the event (1:03.28) and set a Junior Olympic meet record with 966 overall points. The previous record of 925 points, was set by Donn Thompson in 1997.

Nimrod Piggee (M.P. Striders) won the midget boys pentathlon with 2470 points. Piggee edged out Anthony Wright (Cal Quicksilver) who finished with 2381 points. Ben Looney, competing for Pre TC, won the intermediate boys decathlon with 6079 points. Looney sealed his title with a 20-second cushion in his 1500m win. Desirae Payton (Speed City) won the bantam girls triathlon (1359), edging out Turquoise Thompson (1235) for the title. Gayle Hunter, competing for Track World Club, won the intermediate girls heptathlon (4797) despite a late surge by The Glades TC’s Anita Perkins (4701).

In order to be eligible to compete at the 2001 USA Track & Field Junior Olympic Championships, athletes had to advance through association and regional competitions. USA Track & Field is comprised of 57 local Associations across the country, advancers then moved on to one of the 16 Regional competitions.

Athletes here in Sacramento compete in one of five age divisions, determined by birth year. Those age divisions are Bantam (1991 or later), Midget (1989-90), Youth (1987-88), Intermediate (1985-86) and Young Men/Women (1983-84).

For more information on the 2001 USA Track & Field Junior Olympic Championships, all USATF Youth programs and the Verizon Youth Series, including complete results, visit the USATF web site at www.usatf.org.