From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Millville native Bryanna Craig set PRs in two events on Day 1 of the heptathlon at the USATF Under-20 National Championships Thursday in Eugene, Ore.

Ater four of the seven events at Hayward Field, Craig has 3,223 points – her most ever on Day 1 of a heptathlon.

The top two finishers comprise the U.S. Junior National team that will compete at World Athletics Junior Championships Aug. 1-6 at Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero in Cali, Colombia.

JaiCieonna Gero-Holt, who recently completed her freshman year at Emerald Ridge High School in Puyallup, Wash., is in the lead with 3,371 points, and Blakelee Winn of Pittsburg State (Kans.) University is in 2nd with 3,235 points. So Craig is only 12 points out of 2nd place with three events to go. Fourth place is more than 300 points behind Craig.

Craig opened the two-day competition in Eugene with a 14.55 in the 100-meter hurdles, good for 902 points, and followed that up by clearing 5-7 ¾ in the high jump, just short of her lifetime-best 5-8 and worth 879 points.

She then PR’d in the next two events.

In the shot put, Craig threw 34-7 to score 565 points. Her previous shot put PR was 32-1 ½ from the Jacksonville Athletic Club Championships in Florida in August, 2020. She actually surpassed that on all three throws Thursday – 33-11 ½, 33-6 ¾ and the 34-7 on her final attempt.

Then in the 200, Craig ran 25.11 with a legal 1.1 meters-per-second tailwind. Her previous 200 PR was a 25.24 at the 2019 Under-20 Championships in Miramar, Fla. She did run a wind-aided 25.08 last summer at Hayward Field.

Craig’s previous high score after one day was 3,074 points at the NSAF USA Meet of Champions in Myrtle Beach, N.C. She went on to score 5,117 points.

Craig placed 4th with 5,094 points at the 2019 meet in Miramar. The meet was cancelled in both 2020 and 2021.

Craig was born and raised in Millville and led Millville’s track team to the 2019 state Group 4 championship. She won the national scholastic heptathlon as a Millville freshman and set the national freshman record. She graduated from Ruston (La.) High School earlier this month.

Craig is 18 and doesn’t turn 19 until Feb. 12, 2023, so she will be eligible for the Under-20 Championships again next year. The meet is open to athletes who are 19 or younger at the end of the year.

Action resumes Friday with the long jump scheduled for 3:15 p.m., javelin at 4:15 p.m. and 800 at 5:26 p.m.