USATF Juniors: Jacobsen Advances To Pan Ams


Courtney Jacobsen is heading to Peru.

The former Toll Gate star and current University of Michigan freshman earned her ticket this past weekend at the USATF Junior Track & Field Championships by placing second overall in the women's hammer throw Friday night with a toss of 185 feet, 11 inches. The top two finishers in the meet earned a berth to the Pan American Junior Championships, which will be held in the South American country from July 21-23.

Jacobsen's runner-up distance was just .01 of a meter behind individual winner Alyssa Wilson, the recent national shot HS record-holder. The ex-Titan and 2016 state champion was the most consistent of all the competitors. After fouling on her first attempt, her remaining throws were 179-8, 180-5, 185-11, 180-10 and 177-7.

Five more local athletes participated on Saturday at the three-day meet, which took place in Sacramento, Calif.

Jack Salisbury (La Salle, Georgetown) was fourth overall in the 1,500m. Salisbury was timed in 3:51.40. The race was won by Connecticut's Eric Van der Els with a 3:46.8 clocking. He beat recent high school graduate Cooper Teare, who placed second in 3:47.89.

Matt Bouthillette (La Salle, Georgetown) finished fifth in the men's 3,000m steeplechase. Bouthillette crossed the line in 9:30.68. Eliza Rego (La Salle, Harvard) was eighth in the women's race where she posted a time of 11:05.58.

Dilyn Cote (Woonsocket) and Jared Briere (Woonsocket) were ninth and 13th, respectively, in the men's hammer with heaves of 192-5 and 170-9.