June 21, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS - Jason Allen of the University of Maryland won the men's long jump competition Thursday at the Finish Line USA Junior National Track and Field Championships.

Allen, a rising sophomore at Maryland, went 24 feet, 5 inches to win the event by nearly five inches over Ashton Eaton of Oregon. Allen's jump was more than a foot past his previous season-best for the Terps. His winning jump came in the first round in the competition, which drew nine of the top under-19 performers in the nation.

Allen will now represent the United States at the Pan American Junior Games later this summer.

Also Thursday, rising sophomore Greg Kelsey placed seventh in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9:31.32. The event was won by Ryan McDermott, running unattached, who finished in 9:08.47 to win by more than three seconds over unattached runner Eric Ashe.

The USA Junior Nationals are being held concurrently with the USA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, where berths are at stake for the IAAF World Outdoor. University of Maryland All-America hurdler Dominic Berger will compete in his specialty, the 110-meter hurdles, with the first-round heats on Saturday and semis and finals on Sunday.

Rising junior David Edwards-Brennan will also represent the University of Maryland this summer, competing in the junior nationals in his native country of Jamaica.

More information about the USA Outdoor Championships is available at www.usatf.org.