WOOD RIVER - East Alton Wood River High School Jayden Ulrich finished her high school career as an All-American in the shot put on Wednesday at The Outdoor Nationals Track And Field Championship at the University of Oregon.
Ulrich finished fifth in the national shot put with a toss of 48-10 1/4. She didn’t place in the discus, but her East Alton-Wood River High School Coach Russ Colona said this was the fourth straight time she was a high school All-American in the field events.
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“The competition was great at the meet,” he said. “They made a comment before the meet started that out of 30 competitors, 19 were state champions. It was a tough field.”
Colona said it will be difficult to see Ulrich go, but he knows she will do well in track and field and academically at Indiana University.
Nicholas Colona, an assistant coach, worked extensively with Jayden, with her technique, weight workouts, and constant analysis of her throws.
“Jayden is just like family with us,” he said. “We are definitely going to miss her. She has been a one-of-kind athlete for East Alton-Wood River.”
Ulrich captured a state title earlier this month in Charleston in the Class 2A State Track Meet with a throw of 48 feet.
"We took Jayden to the National Throws Festival near Cleveland, Ohio, and we wanted to get some big competition before we headed to Nationals in Eugene, Oregon," Colona said previously. "But a thrower jumped ahead of her in her last throw. On Jayden's final throw going into the finals, she hit her 49-4.5 throw to win."
Jayden said she is really happy and proud of how far she advanced from her freshman year in high school at East Alton-Wood River High School. She said she was extremely pleased with her performance at the girls' state track and field meet.
