The next JJK?

[tafnut]

The USTCA named her athlete of the week with this eye-opening weekend. GH, in the JJK thread, says we lack the top-level talent in the Hep to compete. I think Hyleas qualifies.

"Georgia senior Hyleas Fountain compiled another memorable performance at the SEC Outdoor Championships while scoring a total of 34.75 points to help lead the Bulldogs to a third place finish. Fountain, who also leads the nation with the top mark in the heptathlon, took first in the high jump at 5-09.75 (1.77m) and long jump 21-07.50 (6.59m). She was also third in the triple jump at 43-11.75 (13.40m), fourth in the 100 meter hurdles at 13.11 and sixth in the javelin with a mark of 125-09 (38.34m). Fountain also ran the third leg of the Georgia 4x100 meter relay team who finished seventh in 46.59 and the third leg of the 4x400 meter relay team who finished eighth in 3:47.00. Fountain is qualified in the 200 meters, 100 meter hurdles, 4x400 meter relay, high jump, long jump, triple jump and heptathlon at the NCAA East Regional on May 28-29 hosted by Florida."

[hj197steve]

Re: The next JJK?

gee, is that all ?

[Tvarish]

Re: The next JJK?

No question about it. I mentioned the same last year. I think she will be the top American at the Oly trials. Needs work on her throws and 800 but all the natural ability is there. I must throw in a kudos (sp) to Josie Hahn of Vanderbilt who won the SEC Hept. and also hj 1.83m while doing so. I know Fountain did not participate but still a pr of 5492. She is from my hometown.

PS Is there any doubt of the strength of the SEC? Simply unreal the numbers that were put up in downpour conditions.

[gh]

Re: The next JJK?

>The USTCA named her athlete of the week with this eye-opening weekend. GH, in
>the JJK thread, says we lack the top-level talent in the Hep to compete. I
>think Hyleas qualifies.>>

Uh, I did? The only heptathlon comment I recall making recently was in response to somebody asking why American high school heptathletes don't seem to pan out and I said that it was because most of them were minimal talents who were pushed into the event because they weren't really good enough elsewhere as individuals.

Fountain was not one of these HS "stars"; she has blossomed into a national-class heptathlete as a collegian. Indeed, I don't even find a record of her even trying the event until she reached JC ranks.

[tafnut]

Re: The next JJK?

I misinterpreted your 'minimal talents' . . 'weren't really good enough elsewhere' to mean more than the HS athletes. My bad.

[Powell]

Re: The next JJK?

Calling Fountain the next JJK is a huge overstatement. Her heptathlon PB is just marginally over 6000 points, hardly a top-class score in international terms. She's 2 years older than Carro Kluft and around 1000 points behind her...

[Ten Bears]

Re: The next JJK?

Maybe not the next JJK but perhaps someone who can reach the level of a Eunice Barber. I think she may do 6500 this year, with a potential of 6800-7000. Naturally she's going to be behind Kluft because she took up the heptathlon at a later age and probably does have lesser potential.
I think she is listed at 5-7 in the Georgia website and that's a bit short for huge heights in the HJ but there is no reason that the JT can't ultimately be a strength for her.

[Powell]

Re: The next JJK?

No way is she going to get anywhere near 6500 this year. She was relatively close to her PBs during the competition when she did that 6033. She may improve in the future, but for now she's way too poor a thrower. 6200 may be a realistic goal for 2004. With the current low standard in the US she'll very likely make the Olympic team, but she won't make a big impact in Athens.

[Tvarish]

Re: The next JJK?

Her pr's give her a total now of around 6250. Also, she's never even been pushed at all. But she does need throws work.

[Powell]

Re: The next JJK?

For someone with a PR total of 6250, 6033 is actually a good score. People don't set PRs in every single event in one multi-event competition - it just doesn't work like that.