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The last few weeks have been a whirlwind for Erin Pendleton.
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| Erin Pendleton |
The Woodmore High School graduate, who will be a sophomore at the University of Michigan this fall, took second place in the discus on July 22 at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Moncton, Canada.
“I was very happy,” Pendleton said. “Coming into the meet I had the third farthest throw, so I finished higher than I came in. I wanted to get a medal really bad. I came in and got all my goals and I threw really, really well. There was nothing to be disappointed about.”
The runner-up finish earned the 19-year-old Pendleton her second medal in international discus competition. She earned a bronze medal last year at the Pan Am Games in Trinidad and Tobago.
On June 25, she won the discus event at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. On June 9, Pendleton placed 12th at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore.
Pendleton arrived home from Canada on Monday.
“I'm taking a break from throwing,” she said.
Pendleton had an impressive string of throws at the IAAF Junior Worlds, where she finished second behind Yaime Perez of Cuba. Pendleton's best throw, her last, sailed 54.96 meters (180.31 feet). Her previous four throws (she had one foul) went 175.75, 174.60, 175.95 and 177.65 feet.
Perez's winning throw was 183.75 feet, on her third attempt. She and Pendleton were two of the 12 competitors in the discus finals, and Pendleton was the only one to qualify for Team USA. Each thrower had three attempts to advance to the top eight.
“My first throw was a very good first throw,” Pendleton said. “I was in first place for the first two throws. I relaxed after my first throw. You always want a good first throw, and I did that. I kept improving. I liked the conditions. We had a very good wind. It looked like it was going to start raining, but it held off. I kept steadily improving, so I was happy with my series of throws.”
Asked what she plans to do for an encore next summer, Pendleton said, “I haven't thought that far ahead yet.”
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