MOSCOW - Idaho junior-to-be Paul Dittmer had a silver-medal performance on Sunday at the German Junior Championships, while former Vandal All-Americans Melinda Owen and Russ Winger competed at the USA Track & Field Championships over the weekend, as well.
Dittmer, the two-time reigning Western Athletic Conference champion and 2009 NCAA qualifier in the 110m hurdles, ran a season-best 13.84 and took second at the national meet. His performance should give him a qualifying spot at the 2009 European Under-23 Championships in August.
Owen, a 2008 Idaho graduate and 2007 indoor All-American, cleared 14-3.25 and finished sixth in the women's pole vault. The finish is a four-spot improvement over her 10th-place tie at the 2008 Olympic Team Trials.
Winger, a 10-time NCAA qualifier and six-time All-American for the Vandals from 2004-08, had a good start in the men's shot put, as he threw 63-9 on his first attempt, but fouled his next two and missed the finals for a 10th-place finish. Winger took fifth at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
