Athletes Rise and Records Fall at the 2016 Simplot Games

For Immediate Release
Date February 20, 2016
Contact: Melissa Lee (702) 461-2975
E-mail: media@simplotgames.com
 
 
Athletes Rise and Records Fall at the 2016 Simplot Games
Three meet records shattered
 
Pocatello, Idaho- Simplot Games is one of the premier indoor track meets in the country, and is continuously growing to become of the premier meets in the world.
 
This year, Tara Davis, a junior from Agoura Hills, Calif., shattered the previous Simplot Games girls’ long jump meet record of 20’5” with the distance of 20’10.75”. It didn’t come without a little drama though. Davis first broke the record with the jump 20’5.25”, but then Samiyah Samuels, a senior from SugarLand, Texas, decided she wanted a taste of the fun and broke the record Davis just set with the jump 20’5.75”. On Davis’ next jump, she took back the record and put it out of reach with a leap of 20’10.75”.
 
“I was expecting to do well and possibly break the record, but not by five inches,” Davis said. “I had good competition and a great crowd.”
 
Davis, also placed first in the 60-meter hurdles and second place in the girls’ triple jump.
 
Garek Bielacycz, a senior from Salt Lake City, got the crowd rocking during the boys’ 3200 meters when he broke the meet record by three seconds with the time 8:57.03. Not far behind him was Casey Clinger, a junior from American Fork, who also beat the previous meet record at 8:59.02. This was the first time there had been two sub-9 minute 3200-meter runners on Idaho soil.
 
The boys’1600 meters also didn’t disappoint. Michael Slagowski, a senior from Boise, shined in his home state by breaking the Simplot Games 1600 meter meet record with the time 4:09.52.
 
“I couldn’t be happier,” said Slagowski. “Simplot Games is my favorite indoor track meet, so it’s awesome to be here and beat the meet record.”
 
Darius Carbin, a senior from San Jose, Calif., won both the boys’ high jump (7’0”) and triple jump (47’-11.25”) in his third appearance at Simplot Games. After being the first athlete in 19 years to jump seven feet at Simplot Games, Carbin decided to try and break the Simplot Games meet record at 7’2.25”, but all three attempts came up just short.
“The goal coming in was to get seven feet,” he said. “The record would have been great but I am just thrilled to have won two events at Simplot Games.”
 
Other stellar Simplot Games performances included:
 
Chinne Okoronkwo, a junior from Tacoma, Wash., wrapped up her Simplot Games career with a win in the girls triple jump with a mark of 41’7.25”.
Garrett Calhoun, a senior from Boise, won the boys’ 800 meters with the time 1:52.39, currently the 3^rd fastest in the country this year.
Lexy Halladay, an eighth grader from Boise, placed first in the girls 1600 meters with the time 4:53.40.
 
For a full list of athletes who medaled, visit simplotganes.com.
 
More than 2,100 athletes have come from across the U.S., Canada and Australia to participate in the 38^th annual Simplot Games. Simplot Games remains the nation’s premier high school indoor track and field event. Sponsored by the J.R. Simplot Company since 1979, the Simplot Games are held at Idaho State University’s Holt Arena in Pocatello, Idaho.
 
For more information on Simplot Games, please visit our website at www.simplotgames.com. You may also contact Lisa Woodland at (208) 235-5604 or Simplot Games Media Team at media@simplotgames.com.
 
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Simplot Games
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