‘Multis’ open Region 1 Jr. Olympic meet

ORONO – The Region 1 Junior Olympic Track and Field meet is much different than the typical meet run in Maine.

Such events as the decathlon, heptathlon, pentathlon and triathlon are offered. Youngsters ranging from northern Aroostook County to New York City and upstate New York made the long trek for the three-day event at the University of Maine’s Beckett Track Complex.

The first day of competition Friday featured the more unique, challenging “multi” events, with athletes receiving at least 30 minutes to rest between events.

The first day of decathlon consisted of the long jump, softball throw, high jump, 100- and 400-meter dashes. The heptathlon included the 100 hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200 for girls. In the pentathlon, girls do the 80-meter hurdles and 800 while the boys compete in the 1,500 and 100 hurdles with the shot put, high jump and long jump mixed in.

Finally, the triathlon was also contested with competition in the shot put, high jump and 400 (boys) and 200 (girls).

The highlight of the day for Maine athletes was in the decathlon. Waynflete School of Portland standout Matt LaCasse won both the 100 (11.83 seconds) and 400 (51.70) on his way to a 3,112-point effort in the young men’s division. The 110 hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1,500 will be held Saturday.

LaCasse enjoys the different atmosphere.

“I’ve done it [the decathlon] before, so it’s a lot of fun,” he said, still out of breath from his tough 400. “That, the 1500 and the hurdles are probably my best assets.”

In the triathlon, first place went to Jende Akinleye of the New York Starz Track Club, based Westchester County, N.Y.

He tabulated 508 points, including a first place in the 400 (1:08.73). Teammate Raytomar Stewart finished third overall with 399 points and clocked a 1:16.41 in the 100.

Both boys compete in the bantams division.

This triathlon isn’t as grueling as the traditional triathlon (run, swim, bike), so these New Yorkers were satisfied.

“The toughest part [of the triathlon] is probably the high jump, because it’s hard getting over the bar,” Akinleye said. “I’m impressed with the 400, but I could’ve done better. I missed my PR by a couple of milliseconds.”

“The shot put is my favorite part because you get to throw it far, but high jump is the toughest,” Stewart added.

Another New York Starz clubber, Keva Ramsey, who competed in the intermediate girls’ division of the heptathlon, blazed to a 16.57 in the 100 hurdles and a 26-second 200 en route to the lead with the 800 and long and triple jumps still to come Saturday.

“Those [the 800 and long jump] are probably my best events [in the heptathlon,]” she said.

Saturday’s events kick off at 8 a.m. with the final decathlon and heptathlon events while the shot put for bantams, youths and midgets, high jump for midgets, bantams and youths, and youth triple jump get under way at 9.

At 9:15, the youth and midget high hurdles and 300 will kick off the track events. Notable Mainers competing this weekend include Portland distance standout Ayalew Taye, Brewer thrower Stephanie Dickey, and runners Eric Giddings of South Portland and Scott Dorrity of Hampden.