Three former Helena Capital High tracksters recently garnered All-America status at their latest national college outdoor championships.
Colorado State University-Pueblo weight man Justin Jenks placed fourth in the shot put, at the NCAA DII Track & Field Championships, in Emporia, Kansas.
Colorado State University-Pueblo weight man Justin Jenks placed fourth in the shot put, at the NCAA DII Track & Field Championships, in Emporia, Kansas. He uncorked a heave 60-feet-6 at Welch Stadium, while becoming a 7-time collegiate All-American for the Rams.
Earlier, at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships at Colorado Mesa University, Jenks won titles in both the shot put, at 59-9, and hammer throw, with a distance of 194-5.
Melissa Moreni of the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs garnered her second All-America citation in the 100 hurdles, placing fourth in Emporia with a 13.65 seconds clocking. At the RMAC Championships, she placed conference runner-up for the Lady Mountain Lions, at 13.70.
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UCCS teammate Audrey Bloomquist finished seventh in the triple jump, soaring 41-4.5, for her All-American honors. Audrey entered nationals as the 2024 RMAC titlist at 41-3.25. Additionally, she captured the conference long jump crown with a leap of 19-3.5, and had placed runner-up in the 100 dash in 11.92.
Audrey Bloomquist entered nationals as the 2024 RMAC titlist at 41-3.25. Additionally, she captured the conference long jump crown with a leap of 19-3.5, and had placed runner-up in the 100 dash in 11.92.
At the NCAA Division I level, another CHS alum, Elena Carter of Montana State, garnered the Big Sky T&F Outdoors 100 hurdles title with a time of 13.31 for her seventh conference championship. She also placed third in the long jump, at 19-10, and eighth in the 100 in 12.28 (11.71 in the prelims), for her 13th All-Big Sky citation with the Lady Bobcats.
Earlier in the season, her younger sister Leigha finished runner-up in the 200 at the Tom Gage Invite, at 25.44 seconds.
At the NCAA West Regionals in Fayetteville, Louisiana, Elena was seeded No. 39 in the long jump, but catapulted to 23rd with a career PR (by 6 inches) of 20-10.75, on the final jump of her career. The distance eclipsed the school record of 20-9, but won’t count due to excessive wind.
Elena and Justin were 2018 Capital alums, while Audrey (2019) and Melissa (2020) graduated the next two years.
At the RMAC Championships, Moreni placed conference runner-up for the Lady Mountain Lions, at 13.70.
Helena High grad Odessa Zentz, a sophomore with Northern Arizona University, scored her first career points at the Big Sky Championships, placing seventh in the 800 in 2:13.24. The NAU Lumberjack women captured their fourth consecutive outdoor conference T&F title.
Curt Synness can be reached at 406-594-2878 or curt52synness@gmail.com.
