Thursday, June 22, 2006

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - For a short period, freshman Natasha Harvey will trade her green and black Jacksonville uniform for a U.S.A red white and blue uniform. On Thursday, Harvey won the long jump at the U.S. Junior Track Championship in Indianapolis, Ind to earn a spot on the U.S. team for the World Junior Track Championship in Beijing, China starting in August.

The West Haven, Conn., native won three titles at the 2006 A-Sun Championship on her way to being named Outstanding Freshman Performer of the Meet.

"I'm really excited that Tasha will have a chance to compete at the World Juniors," said JU head coach Ron Grigg. "She did really well today and I can't wait to see how she will do on Saturday at the U.S. Championships."

Harvey was awarded her spot on the junior national team by winning a tiebreaker in the event. Earlier in the day, she recorded a jump of 21 feet (6.40m), but Shana Watson matched Harvey's jump in her last attempt. Harvey took the tiebreaker because her next longest jump (20'8.5", 6.31m) beat Watson's next highest mark of 19'9" (6.02m).