Nicole Leach

A list of the top all-time indoor performances in Pennsylvania state history.

It's almost time for the Millrose Games, the marquee event of the Indoor Season.

Photos by Vic Sailer, PhotoRun

In the first round on Monday morning (Osaka time - Sunday evening Philly time) Nicole Leach ran 55.95 for 4th in the 1st of five heats of the 400 hurdles, advancing automatically - Photo by Vic Sailor, PhotoRun.net No one doubted that under the guidance of Jeanette Bolden, Bob Kersee and Jackie Jorner Kersey, that 2005 West Catholic grad Nicole Leach would some day reach the world stage. Some were surprised by the speed with which she accomplished the goal. But not Leach... Don Rich talked with Nicole between USATF and Pan-Am, and asked about her college choice decision process, rapid development, and expectations for Osaka. We have all the links you'll need to follow Nicole's journey, including TV schedule, event calendar, webcast schedule, and Nicole's Diary on the UCLA web site... 2007 NCAA Champs photo courtesy of Victor Sailer, PhotoRun.net 

 In Tuesday's semis (9:40 pm Osaka time - 8:40 am Philly), Nicole Leach finished 6th in the 2nd of three heats in 56.10 and did not advance to the finals of her first 400 hurdles on the world stage. In the first round on Monday morning (Osaka time - Sunday evening Philly time) Nicole Leach had run 55.95 for 4th in the 1st of five heats of the 400 hurdle, an auto advance. No one doubted that under the guidance of Jeanette Bolden, Bob Kersee and Jackie Jorner Kersey, that 2005 West Catholic grad Nicole Leach would some day reach the world stage. Some were surprised by the speed with which she accomplished the goal. But not Leach... Don Rich talked with Nicole between USATF and Pan-Am, and asked about her college choice decision process, rapid development, and expectations for Osaka. We have all the links you'll need to follow Nicole's journey, including TV schedule, event calendar, webcast schedule, and Nicole's Diary on the UCLA web site... 2007 NCAA Champs photo courtesy of Victor Sailer, PhotoRun.net

 Nicole Leach, the 2005 West Catholic grad who is now a sophomore at UCLA, showed patience, poise and power as she maintained momentum through the middle part of the race in the 400 hurdles at NCAA Division I Champs - then pulled away over the homstretch for her 2nd PR in two weeks, posting a 54.32, the fastest time in the world this year. Leach also anchored the 4th place UCLA Bruins to a 4th place 3:30.46 in the 4x400, behind winning LSU, who got a strong 3rd leg from her fellow West Catholic grad Latavia Thomas. Their winning time was 3:28.07.  Coughlin grad Justin Ryncavage, a North Carolina senior, won the javelin with a throw of 241-05. LSU sophomore Chad Radgowski (South Park HS), was 6th at 225-11. Also earning all-American certificates were Arizona State (redshirt freshman) Ryan Whiting (Central Dauphin), 4th in the shot put with a throw of 63-07, and Justin Clickett of Virginia Tech (Union City Area HS), 6th with a throw of 62-08.50. Abington HS grad Cowin Mills, ran the 3rd leg for Clemson, which took 7th in the 4x100 in 40.07.   

Good news-bad news for PA. To close out the six-day meet, Nicole Leach (West Catholic/UCLA), anchored the 4x400 to a World Juniors Leading in the 4x400. On Day Three (8/17) Leach had taken 2nd in the 400 Hurdles in 55.55, .20 off of her PR. Jamaica\'s Kaliese Spencer was 1st in 55.11. On Day One, Ryan Fritz (Octorara/Penn State) did not advance to the Finals in the High Jump.

USA Track & Field announced the Team USA roster for the 11th IAAF World Junior Championships, held August 15-20, in Beijing, China. The Team will also culminate their training camp by competing alongside some of the nation\'s top elite athletes at the Road to Eugene \'08 on August 8 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

PA ahletes born 1987 or later who meet 2004 World Junior standards as of August 7, 2005, hoping to go to the 2006 World Junior Championships in Beijing, China.

Central Dauphin grad Ryan Whiting capped his scholastic career with two big championships with a PR in the 6kg Shot Put and a meet record in the Discus.

Central Dauphin grad Ryan Whiting will compete in the Shot Put and Discus, while West Catholic grad Nicole Leach will try to make it three-for-four against Sicklerville New Jersey\'s Krystal Cantey at the Pan American Junior Championships this weekend in Windsor, Canada.

Central Dauphin grad Ryan Whiting was named the Gatorade National Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year Wed. June 22nd. He had been nominated and selected as the Gatorade PA T&F Athlete of the Year. Nicole Leach, West Catholic, was named the Gatorade PA Girls\' T&F Athlete of the Year.

Nicole Leach (in photo from NON) wins the 400 Hurdles in 57.25 with the 11th best prep time ever... and is the 5th best individual ever. Steve Hallinan and John Balouris advance in the 1500, while Krista Simkins advances in the 1500 and 400. Lindsay Regan takes 4th. More...

Using a heavier Shot, Ryan Whiting erased the only 2nd place of his senior season at the USATF Junior T&F Championships in California, with a throw of 64-09.25. Nicole Leach advanced to the next round of the 400 Hurdles with the fastest time. After four events, Amy Backel, the Northern grad, took 14th place in the 100 Hurdles with a time of 16.57 -2.2 for 646 points, tied for 7th in the High Jump, clearing 5-01.75, won the Shot Put with a throw of 40-06.75, and finished 14th in the 200, going 27.88. Quaker Valley grad, Manhattan frosh Jasmine Rogers did not advance in the Open 100 Hurdles. Cardinal O\'Hara grad Sean Duffy made it through the first round of the Open 1500, running 3:41.38.

Four PA athletes compete today, looking to qualify for a spot on the US Pan Am team that will travel to Windsor, Ontario July 28th through 31st.

Quotes from 11 PA athletes following their performances at the 2005 Nike Outdoor Nationals.

Pennsylvania went one-two in the Javelin (Meghan Briggs - Elisha Jones), one-two (kind of) (Ryan Fritz - Juan Cave of NJ and St. Joseph\'s Prep) in the High Jump, West Catholic dominated the 4x400, and Ryan Whiting, Craig Miller, Carrington Queen and Nicole Leach each took 2nds on the the 2nd and final day of the Nike Outdoor Nationals. Plus, there were all-American performances from Chanel Williams, a third certificate for Nicole Smith, along with Eric Sparks and Karen Shump.

Bonner didn\'t wait as long as the Boston Red Sox for their championship, but it wasn\'t an overnight thing, either. And in her final League championship meet, Nicole Leach not only won four individual events, she set the league record in each.

West Catholic sprints to ten wins... but Cardinal O\'Hara depth pays off with a PCL Southern Division team title.

Nicole Leach set a meet record (breaking her own mark) in the 400 Hurdles, going 57.44. Rachel Gehret, Altoona, won the High Jump, clearing 5-08.50, and Eisenhower\'s Elisha Jones took the Javelin on the final throw of the finals over Northern\'s Amy Backel, 143-10 to 140-07. West Catholic qualifies for the Championship of America in the 4x400 with a time of 3:46.28. Five girls teams qualify for the 4x800 Championship of America, wtih Gwynedd Mercy posting the fastest time of the day in 9:08.76. (PA RESULTS AND QUOTES INCLUDED IN ARTICLE).

It was just another day at the office for the West Catholic girls. And taking care of business was also the order of the day for the Simon Gratz boys. Known for great competition, the Father Judge Relays serve as the final tune-up for teams looking to make a great showing in the following week\'s Penn Relays.