Krafian Competes at USATF Region1 Championships

From July 5-7, Anoush Krafian competed for the Waltham Track Club at the USA Track & Field (USATF) Region 1 Junior Olympic Championships and National Qualifier, held at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island in New York. The event offered athletes a rare opportunity to compete at one of only four level 1 certified IAAF facilities in the U.S.

Krafian competed in the 13-14 Girls Division in the outdoor pentathlon. Eleven athletes put forth a valiant effort in the scorching temperatures and competed in the 100-meter hurdles, shot put, high jump, long jump, and the 800-meter run. Krafian scored 2,291 points, medaling and finishing 5^th overall.

Krafian also qualified for Nationals in all three open events, earning a 5^th place in the 200 meter hurdles, 31.25; earning 2^nd place in the 100-meter hurdles, 16.87; and earning 2^nd place in the high jump, 4’11”.

The Waltham Track Club produced 25 National Qualifiers (10 boys and 15 girls) in 31 events. The club achieved 35 top-5 medals and 50 top-8 performances, including 8 1^st-place finishes, 6 2^nd-place finishes, and 11 3^rd-place finishes. The top 5 in each event and top 2 in the multi-events qualified for the National Junior Olympic Championships in Greensboro, N.C., from July 22-28.

Krafian is a member of the AYF Greater Boston “Nejdeh” Junior Chapter and the Boston Homenetmen Chapter, an Abaka Performing Arts dance student, and a St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School alumnae. Although this young middle school athlete qualified for Nationals, her heart remains at Camp Haiastan. She will forgo her sports aspirations this summer to attend the second session of Camp Haiastan with her Armenian friends from near and far. There is plenty of time to compete in the future; Krafian wanted to spend her summer at the happiest place on earth. Anoush is the daughter of Ara and Heather Krafian of Belmont, Mass.