MIAMI – National high school shot put record holder, Michelle Carter broke her own national youth record to highlight day three at the 2003 USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships at Tropical Park in Miami, Florida.

The University of Texas-bound Carter tossed 15.82m/51-11 in the young women’s shot put bettering the 15.59m/51-1.75 mark she set last year in Omaha. Earlier this month, Carter won gold in the shot put at the 2003 Pan American Junior Championship in Barbados with a toss of 16.23m/53-3. “I am satisfied with my performance because I basically wanted to beat my (national youth) record this year,” said Carter. “I did better than expected because my technique was off today.” She set a prep record last May of 16.73 meters/54 feet, 10.75 inches at the Texas State high school championships.

Rannell “Speedy” Hall of Miami set a national bantam boys record in the 200m dash. The 10-year-old ran 25.88 seconds in the second heat of the 200m preliminaries, bettering Richard Crawford’s 26.01 set in 1996. “Rannell had fun out there today, this is just the beginning for him,” said Track & Field Program Coordinator for Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation department Robin Beamon. Beamon is also the event coordinator for the meet.

Hannah Carson of the Arizona Cheetahs set a Junior Olympics bantam girls record in the javelin throw. The 2003 Youth Athletics bantam girls champion threw 33.16m/108-9 bettering the Agnes Gallegos’ 27.19m/89-2 set in 2001.

Yvette Lewis of the Norfolk Real Deal leaped 12.88m/42-3.25 to win the young women’s long jump. Fresh off her young women’s heptathlon championship, Team USA member, Gayle Hunter was the runner-up with a leap of 12.23m/40-1.50.

Gerron Herring of the K.C. Elite won the intermediate boys long jump with a leap of 7.18m/23-6.75. Francois Gatson, a Team USA member from the World Youth Championships in Canada, leaped 7.06m/23-2.00 to a runner-up finish.

The 2003 World Youth 110m and 400m hurdles champion Jason Richardson is trying something different after running a 21.13 in the young men’s 200m placing second in his heat. Michael Grant, the 2003 Verizon Athlete of the Meet from the Youth Athletics Championships in Buffalo, ran 21.19 seconds to win his heat in the young men’s to advance to the 200m finals on Saturday.

Another Team USA member from the World Youth Championships, Selena Sappleton ran 2:11.84 to place second in her heat in the young women’s 800m preliminaries. Local favorite Alondra Cooper won her heat with a time of 2:15.10 to advance to the 800m finals on Saturday.

For a full list of entrants, results and webcast coverage of the meet, visit www.usatf.org.