Eleanor Fulton, 16, of Lone Tree, running for the Zoom Track
Club, is the 2009 World Youth Track and Field Trials champion in
the 2000 Meter Steeplechase. Fulton set a new Zoom team and
personal record of 6 minutes, 48.01 seconds improving her best time
by eight seconds.
The trials were June 30 - July 1 in Ypsilanti, Mich.
Behind with 100 meters to the finish, Fulton turned on the heat
to win by one-tenth of a second. Her previous record of 6:56.97 was
set at the USA Track & Field (USATF) national championships in
2008 in Omaha and is the National USATF record. Fulton also holds
the USATF Colorado State Championship record and the Region 10
record in the event.
Fulton also won the 3,000-meter at the World Youth Trials. She
ran 9:44.79, smashing her USA Track and Field national record time
set late year of 10:03.04 by 19 seconds. Behind just before the
final lap, Fulton shot out to run her last 400 meters in 69
seconds. She was the only athlete at the World Youth Championships
to win two events.
Fulton will represent the United States and the Zoom Track Club
in the World Youth Championships in Sudtirol, Italy. The prelims
for the steeplechase were July 8. Results were unavailable by press
time. The finals are July 10.
Although her 3,000-meter time did qualify her to compete at the
World Youth Trials, USATF does not allow distance athletes to
double at the World Youth Championships. Competing in both races,
which will have prelims and finals, would be an enormous work load
for an international competition.
Teammate Stephanie Gerber, 16, of Centennial, also competed in
the World Youth Trials in the 100-meter hurdles. Gerber ran 15.27
for a 17th-place finish in this premier national event of the
season. Gerber placed sixth in the 2007 USATF National
Championships in the 200 meter hurdles and eight in the 100-meter
hurdles. She is the current Zoom record holder in both hurdle
races.
Gerber competed in the USA Outdoor Championships, also in
Michigan, July 2nd in the triple jump and July 4 in the 100-meter
hurdles.
Both Fulton and Gerber joined the Zoom Junior Olympic Team in
2005, competing in the 11-12 year old division. The Zoom Track Club
in Highlands Ranch is a nationally awarded and recognized USA Track
and Field Junior Olympic Team. The club is a USA Track and Field
sanctioned Junior Olympic team with opportunities to compete in
state, regional, national and international competitions in track
and field.
