Collatz second at World Youth event
| Saturday, Jul 11 2009 10:44 PM
Last Updated Saturday, Jul 11 2009 11:15 PM
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Casey Christie / The Californian Alex Collatz, Stockdale High all arrea track and field athlete.
SUDTIROL, Italy -- Stockdale's Alex Collatz was second in the girls discus in May at the Central Section track and field championships and second last month at the CIF state meet.
Now she's second in the world.
Collatz tossed her second throw 50.09 meters (164 feet, 4 inches) Saturday in the girls discus finals at the IAAF World Youth Championships. That was good for a silver medal, nearly a full meter better than third-place Shanice Craft of Germany.
China's Shanshan Li won the gold medal with a 51.65-meter (169-5). Collatz has one throw better than that in her career, a 177-0 at the state meet in Clovis.
Li threw her 51.65 on her first attempt, then added four other throws above 50 meters. Collatz's next-best attempt was a 49.41 (162-1) on her fifth attempt. She fouled on her sixth and final throw.
Collatz was second at both the section and state meets to Shafter's Anna Jelmini, who holds the national high school record in the event. Jelmini, 18, is too old to compete in the youth championships; competitors must turn 16 or 17 during 2009.
