Texas duo have different outlooks on windy meet

Shelbi Vaughan and Aldrich Bailey attend high school in the same district five miles from each other in the Dallas area, and both are national high school record holders.

But their takes on the area's uncharacteristic blustery weather during the 53rd annual Golden West track and field invitational Saturday at Folsom High School were about 1,000 miles apart.

Vaughan embraced the windy conditions; Bailey could only shake his head in frustration.

Vaughan, from Mansfield Legacy, bettered her own national high school record and obliterated the Golden West record in the discus with a throw of 193 feet, 11 inches.

It bettered her previous best of 191-6 set March 31 at the Texas Relays. She shattered Mandy Borschowa's 14-year-old Golden West record by 15-1.

Bailey, looking to improve his national high school meet record of 45.19 seconds in the 400 meters, easily won the race but ran 47.57. The Mansfield Timberview senior ran nearly half the race into a 20-mph head wind.

"I didn't expect it to be this windy," said Bailey, who used the wind later to win the 200 in 20.49, the second-fastest time nationally this season. "It's disappointing. But you've just got to shake it off and race."

Vaughan had a different view of the tree bending-wind that whistled through the stadium.

"I'm liking it a lot right now," Vaughan said. "The weather here compared to Texas is beautiful. I woke up this morning and said, 'Oh, look, a breeze.' "

Vaughan's goal was to throw at least 200 feet, yet the weather might have cost her.

"On my best throw, I saw (the disc) at the end get pushed down by the wind," she said. "While I was going for 200, I can't be too upset with nearly 194."

Bailey and Vaughan are using the Golden West as a tuneup for the U.S. Olympic Trials that start June 21 in Eugene, Ore.

Vaughan can't wait to meet Galt's Stephanie Brown-Trafton, the U.S. record holder in the women's discus (222-5) and the defending Olympic gold medalist.

"When I set my first national record, she texted me congratulations," Vaughan said. "I'm looking forward to competing against her."

After the Olympic Trials, Vaughan and Bailey will attend Texas A&M on athletic scholarships – Vaughan's will be in volleyball, however.

The meet produced top times in the sprints, but tailwinds aided them.

Ky Westbrook of Chandler, Ariz., for instance, won the girls 100 in an impressive 11.42 – fifth-fastest nationally, all conditions – but with an eye-popping wind aid of 7.7. Legal is 2.0 or below.

"Well, wind is wind, and weather is weather," meet director John Mansoor said. "We'll deal with it as best as we can. But it will definitely benefit the sprinters."

Other highlights:

• Devon Allen of Brophy Prep in Phoenix ran the nation's fastest 110 boys high hurdles, all conditions, with a wind-aided 13.32.

• Trinity Wilson of St. Mary's in Berkeley, competing for the first time in two months after a foot injury, ran 13.30 in the girls 100 hurdles, the nation's fastest, all conditions.

• Jermaine Authorlee of North Shore in Houston ran a 10.27 wind-aided boys 100, ninth-fastest nationally, all conditions.

• Sophomore Gabby Williams of Reed in Sparks, Nev., won the girls high jump at 5-10. She is the national leader at 6-1 1/2.

• Del Oro's Casey Wheeler (38.04) edged Gabriel Aird (38.05) of Suncoast in Rivera Beach, Fla., in the boys 300 hurdles.

• Granite Bay's Trent Brendel (4:29.09) nipped Oakmont's Edixon Puglisi (4:29.69) in the boys mile.

• Read more articles by Bill Paterson

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