Team USA Dominates Pan Am Juniors

July 25, 2011

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IOWA CITY, Iowa — A pair of incoming Hawkeyes helped the United States grab 59 total medals at the 16th Pan American Junior Championships in Miramar, Fla., July 22-24. Kayla Beattie and Gabe Hull combined for three medals at the Ansin Sports Complex. Both competitors will join the Hawkeyes this fall.

Beattie recorded an impressive distance double, grabbing gold medals in both the 3K and 5k. The Woodstock, Ill., native grabbed the 3,000-meter title with a 9:30.63 performance July 23. She followed that effort the next day with a dominating 16:48.44 mark in the 5,000-meters. Beattie ran by herself most of the way, topping the silver medalist by nearly six seconds.

Hull, a state champion from Bloomington, Ind., used a final round toss of 189 feet, seven inches (57.78m) to earn the discus silver medal. A Pan Am Junior meet record by Jamaica’s Travis Smikle (218-5/66.58m) was the only mark that kept Hull from earning gold.

“At the beginning I was just thinking I would settle for whatever I could get, but then I thought that I had done well before so I could do well again. I almost reproduced the good things I had done before, so it ended up well and I had a good last attempt,” Hull told USA Track & Field following his silver medal toss.

The Pan American Games is a multi-sport event between competitors from select nations, held every four years in the year before the summer Olympic Games. Iowa assistant coach Scott Cappos was a member of the Team USA Coaching Staff.