AMHERST, N.Y. – Multi-events and relays highlighted the second day of the 2003 USA Track & Field Youth Athletics National Championships on the campus of the University at Buffalo.

Combined events wrapped up at this year’s championships for the bantam, midget, intermediate and young men’s and young women’s age groups. Michael Feathers maintained his lead from the first day in the young men’s decathlon to win with 6,022 points. Feathers won six out 10 events in two days of competition. He won the 110m hurdles (15.86), the discus throw (34.13m/111-10), the 1,500m (4:55.17), the shot put (13.22 meters/43 feet 4.25), the high jump (1.90m/6-2.75) and the 400m (52.66). In the intermediate boys decathlon, Marcus Clanton maintained his lead to win with 4,753 points. He won the 110m hurdles (16.84), the 100m (11.81), shot put (11.48m/37-8) and tied for first place in the high jump (1.75m/5-8.75).

Kimbe Brown came from being behind by 246 points in the first day of competition to finish with 4,110 total points to win the young women’s heptathlon. Marr Harris maintained her lead to finish with 4,297 points to win the intermediate girls heptathlon. She won the long jump (5.36m/17-7), the 110m hurdles (15.17), the shot put (8.33m/27-4) and the 200m (25.72). Lester White won the midget boys pentathlon with a score of 2,316 points while Shakeia Pinnick won the midget girls pentathlon with a score of 2,998 points. In the bantam boys triathlon, DeAnthony Dupree won with a total score of 823 points, while Hannah Carson won the bantam girls triathlon with a score of 1,151 points.

Maria Michta added the young women’s 5,000m race walk title to her intermediate girls’ 5,000m race walk crown from 2002 with a time of 26:42.11, bettering last year’s time of 26:51.07. Her teammate on next week’s World Youth team, Zachary Pollinger, won the young men’s 5,000m race walk in 23:12.36.

The crowd was enthusiastic in the first day of relays as the Cornhusker Flyers won the young men’s 4x800m relay title with a time of 7:49.65. The club also won the intermediate girls 4x800m relay in 9:18.58 and the youth boys division in 9:01.15.

This year's meet will be the final tune-up for Team USA before competing at the IAAF World Youth Track & Field Championships in Sherbrooke, Canada, July 9-13.

For more information on the 2003 USA Track & Field Youth Athletics National Championships and the Verizon Youth Series, including complete results from this year’s event, visit the USATF website at www.usatf.org.