Donovan's Wilson Qualifies For Pan-American Games

SACRAMENTO, CA — Alyssa Wilson, the New Jersey throwing star and recent Donovan Catholic graduate, has qualified for two events and will represent the United States again at the Pan American Junior Championships in late July.

Wilson won the hammer throw, an event she competes in only outside New Jersey, and took second in the shot put at the Junior National Outdoor Championships at Sacramento State University, according to the USA Track and Field website.

Wilson won the hammer throw with a best of 56.68 meters, or 185 feet, 11 inches, beating Courtney Jacobsen, who just finished her freshman year at the University of Michigan, who threw 56.67 meters, according to the USATF site.

Wilson's winning throw came on her third throw of six tries; she had just two clean attempts and fouled on her final six throws. Jacobsen had six clean throws but only her fourth throw came close to Wilson's best.

In the shot put, where Wilson holds the high school record, Samantha Noennig of Arizona State won the event, throwing 16.78 meters (55 feet, three-quarters of an inch) beating Wilson's best throw by about 2 feet (she threw 16.23 meters, or 53 feet, 3 inches).

“I was just excited that I made the team in that (the shot put) again," Wilson said. "I just went out there in the hammer and said you know whatever happens happens, I already made the team, so I was a kinda more relaxed."

"Making the team in two events was one of my goals. I didn’t wanted to go for just one event like last year," Wilson said, according to USATF.

She was fifth in the discus, throwing a best of 167-8; first place in that event went to Iowa freshman Laulauga Tausaga-Collins, whose best was 177-3, according to the USATF.

The Junior Pan American Championships are July 21-23 in Lima, Peru.

Alyssa Wilson, via Donovan Catholic High School Facebook page