Solomon’s Three Gold Medals Lead Her to Another Honor

Shalonda Solomon of Long Beach Poly High has been named USA Track & Field’s athlete of the week after winning three gold medals in the Pan American Junior (under 20) championships in Bridgetown, Barbados.

The 17-year-old Solomon, who will be a senior in the fall, won the women’s 100 meters in 11.35 seconds to tie her career best in that event, placed first in the 200 in a meet-record and career-best 22.93 to move to sixth on the all-time U.S. performer list, and ran the anchor leg on the victorious 400 relay team that clocked 44.00.

State champions Lionel Larry of Compton Dominguez, Jasmine Lee of Long Beach Poly and Ashley Freeman of Long Beach Wilson head the list of athletes from the Southland who are scheduled to compete in the USA Track & Field Junior Olympic championships at Miami from Tuesday through next Sunday.

Larry, who won the boys’ 200 meters in the state championships at Cerritos College on June 7, is entered in that event and in the 100 in the young men’s division. In addition, he’ll run legs on Imani Track Club 400- and 1,600-meter relay teams that will include Derrick Jones and Rodney Van of Long Beach Poly.

Lee, the state champion in the girls’ 400, will compete in that event at the young women’s level and also run legs on the West Valley Eagles’ 400 and 1,600 relay teams.

Freeman, the state champion in the girls’ 800, is entered in that event and the 400. She’ll also run on the same relay teams as Lee.

Larry, Lee, Jones and Van will be high school seniors in the fall. Freeman will attend Stanford in the fall.