Ocean City senior Elaina Styer, in 10th place with one event to go, turned in the 2nd-fastest 800 of the competition, moved up to 6th place and earned All-America honors in the one-day, five-event pentathlon with a score of 3,331 at West Philly Nationals Saturday at Franklin Field.
Styer was in 10th place after four events with 2,584 points but only 97 points out of 6th, and the top six finishers earn All-America honors.
Styer, who was fast enough to place 4th in the 800 at Group 3 sectionals in 2:23.26, closed her first multi-event with a 2:25.75, which was fastest of the top 15 girls in the competition.
That was worth 747 points and moved her all the way up from 10th to 6th.
Styer opened with a 16.25 in the hurdles in her first lifetime 100-meter hurdles race, good for 684 points, then hit 17-4 ¼ in the long jump, which was worth 640 points. She threw 29-6 ¾ in the shot to earn 465 points, which put her at 1,944 going into the high jump.
She then PR’d at 5-5 – she cleared 4-8 ¾, 4-11, 5-1 ¼, 5-3 ¾ and 5-5 on her first attempt – tied for the highest clearance among all the jumpers. That was worth 795 points and set her up for the 800.
And after hurdling, throwing the shot, long jumping and taking eight attempts in the high jump, she ran within 2 ½ seconds of her PR in a new event that she had only competed in twice all year. She was 7th with a lap to go before passing five runners on the second lap.
Considering that she finished 28 points ahead of 7th, 34 points ahead of 8th, 40 points ahead of 9th and 42 points ahead of 10th, safe to say that big 800 finish made her an All-America.
Styer, who will attend Cornell, finishes her senior year with PRs of 1:00.24 in the 400, 2:23.26 in the 800, 16.25 in the 100 highs, 5-5 in the high jump, 18-5 in the long jump, 36-6 ½ in the triple jump, 79-2 in the javelin and 33-5 ½ in the shot.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 