Semira Killebrew and Shelby Tyler Earn Spots on Team USA


Just one week after breaking the Indiana state record, Semira Killebrew has earned herself on a spot on Team USA for the U20 Pan-American games. The University of North Carolina signee threw down an 11.24 (+1.6) at Brooks PR and followed that up with an 11.31 (+2.0) this weekend in Miramar, FL. This US No. 3 effort (though she is US No. 2 currently), was good enough for a 3rd place finish in the finals. Unfortunately this doesn't qualify her to run the individual 100 for the US, but it did earn her a spot on the 4x100 team. Killebrew has never gotten to represent the United States in an international competition, so this will be her first of hopefully many opportunities to put on the blue Team USA uniform. 

The Brebeuf Jesuit graduate won her 2nd state title just under a month ago, repeating as the champion in the 100 in 11.63. She was also the runner-up in the 200 in 23.97. No one saw her times dropping like they have so quickly, even Killebrew didn't expect it. "I continue to shock myself every week" And she continues to shock the state of Indiana and the nation as she puts down some stellar times. Semira Killebrew sits US No. 2 currently in the 100 dash and is the fastest American born high school sprinter this year, Briana Williams sits No. 1 currently after a 10.94 performance in Jamaica this weekend. Williams represents Jamaica in international competition as she holds dual citizenship in the US and Jamaica. 


 

Shelby Tyler came into this weekend as the reigning national champion after winning in her home state last year with a jump of 6' 0.75". She would go on to represent the USA in Finland and place 11th in the world with a clearance of 1.80m, which converts roughly to 5ft 10.75in. After last weeks 3rd place finish at New Balance, the pressure was on for Tyler if she wanted to reclaim her title. Thankfully, no 9 hour car ride was involved to get from one championship to the other this year, just a weeks break between the competition to refocus. Coming into 1.80m, there were 7 other competitors left, but that wouldn't last long as 4 girls missed all three attempts. Tyler would experience her first slip up of the day, missing on her first attempt but getting over on her 2nd. Three other girls would follow suit, clearing the bar and making it to the next height, 1.83m or 6 foot. This is where things got real, Shelby Tyler had not cleared at 6 foot bar all outdoor season, and had only done it twice in the indoor season. It wouldn't be just her who struggled at this height, the three other girls would manage to slip up on all three attempts, leaving just Tyler with one final attempt. And just like that, Shelby Tyler cleared her first 6 foot bar of the outdoor season. "I wanted to jump six feet today." A sigh of relief for the University of Georgia signee, as this is what she has been wanting all year. 

As always, her goal for Costa Rica is to just go higher. This will be Tyler's second time putting on the Team USA uniform and competing at a U20 level event. Her confidence has been boosted since clearing 6 foot, now it's just time to see if she can go another 2.5 inches and make herself the number one girl all-time in Indiana for high jump. 


Elliott after the 400 prelims

Ramiah Elliott continues to impress

In what seems to be one of her longest seasons thus far, Ramiah Elliott hasn't let any of the pressure get to her. A month after being the biggest part of the Panthers winning a state title, Elliott finds another opportunity to lower her freshman state record and move herself to IN No. 2 all-time in the 200. This time she had to travel to Miramar to get the time of 23.27 against a loaded field of college athletes. This would move her up two spots from 4th all-time to 2nd, passing over Candyce McGrone and Lynna Irby. The only athlete who stands in her way now is former North Central Panther, Maciel Malone who set a 23.12 back in 1986 at the state meet. Elliott also competed in the 400, but didn't make it out of prelims, placing 11th in 55.24. She sits No. 4 all-time in that event and holds the freshman record. 



Wilson after the 5K 

Emma Wilson wraps up unique season

This year, Emma Wilson forgoed her chance to defend her Indiana state titles and opted to just train with her coach, Craig Jordan, and get prepared for college. This allowed her to take on some different athletes than she had been beating for the past few years, and work on some of those longer distances that aren't typically offered at the high school level. This weekend she race in both the 5000m and 3000m, just a sleep apart from each other. Friday night in the 5000, she led for roughly the first 3K before Jessica Larson and Heidi Nielson picked up the pace. Wilson would end up 3rd in 17:04.54. Originally the plan was to go for a big time in the 5K and be done, scratch the 3K. That's why it was a surprise to see her name in the results for that event the next morning. A high school star and two college athletes, none who competed the night before, would end up in front of her. A 4th place, 9:56.05 3K would cap off her season. The only event she would end up not setting a new PR in this season was the mile, she was just a second short on that one. 



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