HUMBOLDT — The Humboldt Storm Runners throwers Kaylynn Olson, Charles Fink and Cooper Peters and distance runner Emmitt Carson will compete for national titles at the AAU Junior Olympics in Des Moines, Iowa, which kicks off Monday.
The quartet qualified for next week’s Junior Olympics on June 25 at the Missouri Valley Regional Meet in Wichita where they more than held their own.
“Two years ago, we had two kids go (to the Junior Olympics) for javelin, and last year we didn’t have any, so taking four is a pretty big deal for us,” Humboldt coach Mitchell Dewey said. “These guys have been working hard in the heat and coming out here and practicing. It’s a good feeling and I hope they’re ready to face kids from all over.”
Carson, a Humboldt senior, qualified in the 2000-meter steeplechase by coming in fifth by clearing the course in 9:33.43. The steeplechase is a unique event that includes overcoming 18 barriers and five water pits.
At this spring’s state track meet, Carson competed in the pole vault where he took 13th.
“It was a shot in the dark, and there were only seven people in it,” Carson said. “I had to beat one to go to nationals, and two ended up dropping out the day of the competition, so I got a ticket to nationals. I just thought, ‘Don’t trip, don’t fall and run fast.’”
Olson, a Humboldt freshman, took third in the javelin with a 59 foot, 11-inch throw. “A lot of my throws didn’t stick in the ground,” Olson said. “But I had a week of practice and felt pretty good. I was just trying not to mess up. I’m kind of nervous (for nationals). It’s my first year throwing the javelin.”
Olson and Fink said they began learning to throw the javelin by first using a Turbo Javelin, which is a finned, rubber-tipped spear.
Fink finished fourth with a 97’ 3.5” throw.
In the final days leading up to nationals, Fink said he’s focusing on his technique of knowing when to nose the javelin up or down depending on the conditions.
Watching other athletes throw has been instructive, he said.
“It was my first time throwing that kind of javelin,” he said. “I had to throw it higher and harder, and it was a little heavier. It felt different. After the first throw, I knew I could stay in it.”
Humboldt senior Peters came in fifth in the javelin with a throw of 140’ 6.5”.
After missing the cut for the state track and field meet last spring, Peters said he has continued to work on his form.
Peters said his qualifying throw for the Junior Olympics is far from his best.
“Hopefully, I’ll throw 150, which is what I threw in practice,” he said. Peters also qualified for the Junior Olympics in 2024.
