Track and field standouts: Three Snoqualmie Valley athletes,

(Erik Lanigan (left) Drake daPonte, (center) and Dan Haakenson, will

be competing at the Junior Olympics being held this week in Buffalo

New York. For Lanigan it will be his third trip to the yearly event with his

two previous placings of 22nd and 10th in the high-jump. His

personal record of 8′ 9″ should put him near the winning heights

It will be daPonte’s first visit to the Junior Olympics, competing

in the bantam class with other 9/10 year old athletes. He will be

running in the 400, 800 and 1500 meter runs, having gone

undefeated all this year. In addition, he will compete in the Hershey

Nationals in the 400 meter in Hershey Pennsylvania. daPonte made it

to regionals last year taking fourth in both the 800 and 1500

meter. Drake is a member of the Snoqualmie Valley Track Club

Jr. Wildcat program.

Dan Haakenson will also make his first trip to the Junior

Olympics, and will be competing in the discus. His personal record of

149’7″ should put him in the mix of placers. Haakenson is also a

member of the Snoqualmie Valley Track Club, Wildcat program.