By Michael Newman, ILXCTF.com Editor

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I do not like giving co-athletes of the year in any discipline. In this 3A category, it is hard to separate Jaimie Robinson and Jelena Rowe.

Rowe entered the season as the defending national champion in the High Jump. She did get her goal of winning the state title in this event setting a new state record in the process clearing 6-0. She had the best national clearance (6-1) that she achieved at the Sue Pariseau Invitational in April. She finished second at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals but bounced back to win the USATF Junior Nationals earning a chance to compete at the Pan-Am Junior Championships in July.

Robinson was unstoppable in the horizontal jumps going undefeated in IHSA competition including state titles in the Long and Triple Jump. She finished third in the New Balance Indoor Nationals in March. She did not compete in the New Balance Outdoor Nationals focusing her efforts on the USATF Junior Nationals. At the AAU Central District Championships, she unleashed a 44-4 jump that is the longest in Illinois Prep history. Jaimie came back in Sacramento to jump 43-10.25 to win the USATF Juniors. Just like Rowe, we will see her compete in Peru this July.

Courtney Morgan of Metea Valley also needs to be recognized. She threw a season’s best of 46-3 to win the Shot Put at state. It was her third state championship in her four state appearances. Morgan also finished second in the Discus. Morgan overall was all-state all four years in both the Shot Put and Discus.

Congratulations to Jelena Rowe of Bloom Township High School in Chicago Heights and Jaimie Robinson of Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Flossmoor as the 2017 ILXCTF 3A Girls Field Events Co-Athletes of the Year.