AMTV/CHULA VISTA, CA, May 20 – On a day where Paralympic veterans were victorious in many of the events at the 2023 U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Championships, presented by Toyota, it was teenagers Ezra Frech (Los Angeles, California) and Samantha Heyison (Adamstown, Maryland) who came away with Americas Records in their respective competitions.
Frech, who turned 18 this month and made his Paralympic debut at the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, competed in the men’s long jump T63 and jumped 6.62 meters for his Americas Record. Frech also placed second behind Paralympian Desmond Jackson (Durham, North Carolina) in the 100-meter.
The high school senior, who also won the high jump T63 yesterday, is looking to make his second world championships team this summer as Team USA heads to Paris for the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships.
Heyison, meanwhile, joined Frech this year as one of U.S. Paralympics Track & Field’s High School Athletes of the Year and earned her first national team berth. In her women’s discus F44 competition today, Heyison threw an Americas Record 37.89 meters.
This weekend is Heyison’s first major meet as a member of Team USA’s national team. She will compete in shot put on the final day of the event tomorrow.
“I feel great,” Heyison said. “I’m really happy with where I am and just want to keep staying consistent. It’s been awesome to be here this weekend. It’s been a great environment, and it’s been an honor.”
Several Team USA athletes won multiple events on day two, including Paralympic medalists Isaac Jean-Paul (Grayslake, Illinois), Jaleen Roberts (Kent, Washington), Tatyana McFadden (Clarksville, Maryland), Hunter Woodhall (Syracuse, Utah), David Brown (St. Louis, Missouri), Gianfranco Iannotta (Garfield, New Jersey) and Daniel Romanchuk (Mount Airy, Maryland).
All seven athletes won their 100-meter races – Romanchuk and McFadden in the men’s and women’s T54, Jean-Paul in the men’s T13, Woodhall in the men’s T62, Iannotta in the men’s T52, Brown in the men’s T11, and Roberts in the women’s T37. McFadden, in a bid for her fifth world championships team, added a win in the 400-meter and took silver behind Susannah Scaroni (Tekoa, Washington) in the 1500-meter. After winning the 5,000-meter race yesterday, Scaroni also brought home silver behind McFadden in the 400-meter.
Romanchuk has not lost a men’s T54 race this weekend – adding 400-meter and 1500-meter national titles in addition to his 100-meter win today. The reigning Paralympic champion in the 400-meter, Romanchuk also has 2019 world championships golds in the 800 and 1500-meter events. A three-time Paralympian, Siemann also put together a hat trick of wins, taking home the gold in the men’s 100-meter, 400-meter and 1500-meter T53 competitions. Iannotta, a two-time Paralympic medalist, also added a 400-meter win to his 100-meter victory today.
In addition to his 100-meter win, Jean-Paul, the 2020 Paralympic bronze medalist in the long jump, brought home the win in his signature event with a 7.33-meter jump. Jean-Paul is also coaching the San Diego State Adaptive Athletics team while competing in Chula Vista.
“This is a beautiful experience,” Jean-Paul said. “Seeing all of these adaptive athletes out here with university names on their chests, it’s special. It’s one thing to compete, but to see the sport grow, it’s beautiful.”
Roberts, meanwhile, continued her domination in her women’s T37 events, adding victories in the 100-meter and long jump to her 200-meter win yesterday. Woodhall also nabbed a win in the 400-meter, his best event, as he seeks a spot on his third world championships team.
“I’m happy with it,” Woodhall said of his 100-meter effort. “It was my first 100 of the year. I had a good start, I stood up a little too fast but finished strong. It was fun, and it’s been a great competition. Training has been good, I feel good and my body feels good, so I can’t complain.”
Working with guide Je’Von Hutchinson (Boynton Beach, FL), Brown surged to wins in the 100-meter and 400-meter T11 races. The 2016 Paralympic champion in the 100-meter, Brown is also a five-time worlds medalist.
Paralympians Erin Kerkhoff (Coralville, Iowa), Taylor Talbot (Ontario, Oregon), Brian Siemann (Champaign, Illinois), Joel Gomez (Encinitas, California), Tanner Wright (Abilene, Texas), Rayven Sample (Jamestown, New York) and Yen Hoang (Vancouver, Washington), as well as newcomer Jaydin Blackwell (Oak Park, Michigan) impressed on the track as well with multiple victories on the day.
Kerkhoff and Talbot, already national champions this weekend after meet-opening wins yesterday, won the women’s 400-meter and 100-meter T13 and T12 races, respectively. Gomez put together a strong mid-distance program, winning the men’s 1500-meter and 400-meter T13 competitions. Wright and Sample each earned titles in their 100-meter and 400-meter T46 and T45 races, while Hoang was the women’s 1500-meter and 400-meter national champion in the T53 class.
Blackwell, a newcomer to Para sport, strung together victories in the 100-meter and 400-meter T38 races, edging four-time Paralympic medalist Nick Mayhugh (Arlington, Virginia), who placed second in both races. Newcomer Ryan Medrano (Savannah, Georgia), in his first major track and field meet since his classification, was close behind in third in both races. Medrano, who was a contestant on Survivor 43 alongside Paralympian Noelle Lambert and was recruited to the sport by Lambert, also won the men’s long jump T38 with a 5.76-meter jump.
In a busy day for the Team USA long jumpers, notable gold medalists included five-time Paralympic medalist Lex Gillette (Raleigh, North Carolina), who was victorious in the men’s T11 jump, working with longtime guide Wesley Williams (Visalia, California) for a top jump of 6.13 meters. Paralympic bronze medalist Trenten Merrill (San Juan Capistrano, California)’s jump of 7.63 meters in the men’s T64 competition was enough to beat out an impressive performance by Derek Loccident (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), who finished with a jump of 7.56 meters.
Tokyo Paralympian Taleah Williams (Norfolk, Nebraska) turned in a personal best jump of 5.61 meters to win the women’s T47 event, while yesterday’s high jump champions Roderick Townsend (Stockton, California) and Dallas Wise (Columbia, South Carolina) repeated in the men’s T46 and T47 long jump, respectively. Paralympians Beatriz Hatz (Lakewood, Colorado) and Lacey Henderson (Denver, Colorado) won the women’s T64 and T63 long jump, respectively.
In the women’s discus F64, Paralympian Jessie Heims (Swisher, Iowa) won with a throw of 35.19 meters. Tokyo Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku (Boston, Massachusetts) won the women’s 100-meter T64 race, while Paralympic champions Breanna Clark (Los Angeles, California) and Michael Brannigan (Northport, New York) won their signature 400-meter T20 races. Paralympic medalists Jarryd Wallace (Athens, Georgia) and Brittni Mason (Cleveland, Ohio) placed first in the men’s 100-meter T64 and women’s 100-meter T46.
Rounding out the Paralympic athletes who earned national titles on the day, Marshall Zackery (Ocala, Florida) won the men’s 100-meter T35 competition and Eva Houston (Omaha, Nebraska) won the 100-meter T34 women’s race.
3月12日华盛顿报道，白宫今天表示，随着伊朗局势持续演变，特朗普政府准备豁免《琼斯法案》（Jones Act），以放宽航运监管规定。 已有百年历史的《琼斯法案》规定，在美国各港口之间运输的货物，必须由美国建造、悬挂美国国旗并由美国船员操作的船只承运；此外，该法案还限制了美国国内航运商可使用的油轮数量。 白宫发言人莱维特（Karoline Leavitt）今天在一份声明中表示：“出于国防利益考量，白宫正考虑在有限的一段时期内豁免《琼斯法案》，以确保关键能源产品和农业必需品能够顺畅地运抵美国各港口。目前，这项举措尚未最终定案。” 据专家称，豁免该规则将允许外国船只在美国港口之间运输燃料，从而有助于缓解供应中断，并有望降低能源价格。 自2月28日特朗普总统发动“史诗狂怒行动”，与以色列共同袭击伊朗以来，石油和天然气价格一路飙升，不仅增加了驾车者的用车成本，还引发了通胀压力。 据FactSet数据显示，今年1月初徘徊在60美元附近的布伦特原油今天上涨8%，并一度突破了100美元。而作为美国基准原油的西德克萨斯中质原油（WTI）则飙升近9%，每桶高达95.02美元。 尽管特朗普政府与国际能源署3月11日宣布，该组织成员国将向全球能源市场总计注入4亿桶石油以提振供应，但能源价格依然持续飙升。 据美国汽车协会（AAA）的数据显示，受油价、税收及其他季节性因素影响的汽油价格，周四也呈上扬走势，触及每加仑3.60美元。这一价格较战事爆发前上涨了约60美分。
3月12日华盛顿报道，正值美国针对伊朗的“史诗狂怒行动”(Operation Epic Fury）进行之际，美国中央司令部（CENTCOM）今天宣布，一架美军加油机在伊拉克境内坠毁。“史诗狂怒行动”旨在打击伊朗与该地区有关的资产。 据中央司令部称，事件涉及2架在友军空域执行任务的美军KC-135加油机。其中一架飞机在伊拉克西部坠毁，另一架安全着陆。 中央司令部声称，此次飞机失事并非敌方火力或友军误伤所致。救援工作仍在进行中，美军尚未公布相关人员的数量和状况。 中央司令部在一份声明中表示：“随着事态发展，我们将提供更多信息。我们恳请大家继续保持耐心，以便我们收集更多细节，并为遇难军人家属提供明确的信息。” 与此同时，以色列国防军（IDF）军队今天完成了对黎巴嫩境内真主党基础设施的多轮打击。一名以色列官员今天证实，以色列国防军已完成对贝鲁特和黎巴嫩南部真主党基础设施的多轮打击。 该官员表示：“以色列国防军打击了多个真主党指挥中心，真主党恐怖分子正是利用这些中心策划针对以色列及其平民的恐怖袭击。” 以色列国防军表示：“真主党恐怖组织有系统地将其基础设施渗透到黎巴嫩各地的平民之中，再次体现了该组织肆意利用黎巴嫩平民进行恐怖活动的行径。” 以色列国防军称：“在打击行动之前，已采取措施降低对平民造成伤害的风险，包括提前发出预警、使用精确制导武器和空中侦察。” 美国总统特朗普敦促美联储“立即”降息，因为伊朗冲突的余波导致能源价格飙升。 特朗普在社交媒体平台“真实社交”上发帖说：“美联储主席‘迟到’·鲍威尔今天在哪儿？他应该立即降息，而不是等到下次会议。”特朗普总统用“迟到”这个绰号嘲讽鲍威尔。 特朗普总统曾一再强调美联储应该加快降息步伐，他认为降低借贷成本是促进经济增长和缓解家庭财务压力的关键。美联储官员则表示，这需要更明确的证据表明通胀正在降温。 包括巴林、沙特和阿联酋在内的多个中东国家都遭遇了伊朗发动的新一轮报复袭击，伊朗此举意在遏制美军利用驻该地区军事基地对伊朗的攻击。随着“史诗狂怒行动”的持续进行，该地区的紧张局势不断升级。又有一艘集装箱船今天在阿联酋迪拜附近遭到伊朗袭击。
3月12日伯纳利洛报道，美军空军退役少将麦卡斯兰（William N. McCasland）于2月27日离开他位于新墨西哥州阿尔伯克基的家，此后便杳无音讯。 美国联邦调查局（FBI）表示，正在协助当地警局搜寻该名于二月底从家中离开后失踪的空军退役少将。 美国空军表示，退役少将麦卡斯兰曾在美国空军和国家侦察局服役期间担任多个“太空研究、采购和作战职务”。这些职务包括在五角大楼担任主管级职位，以及在位于新墨西哥州柯特兰空军基地的菲利普斯空军研究实验室，以及位于俄亥俄州赖特-帕特森空军基地的空军研究实验室担任指挥职务。 伯纳利洛县警长办公室（BCSO）称，68岁的麦卡斯兰于2月27日离开位于新墨西哥州阿尔伯克基的家，此后便杳无音讯。 该警长办公室表示：“鉴于麦卡斯兰的背景和既有的合作关系，伯纳利洛县警长办公室正与包括联邦调查局阿尔伯克基分局在内的多个机构密切合作。” 随后，警方又更新消息称，“目前尚未发现任何谋杀或其他犯罪行为的证据。” 麦卡斯兰身高5英尺11英寸（约1.8米），体重160磅（约73公斤），白发蓝眼。伯纳利洛县警长办公室称，据信麦卡斯兰是步行离开家的。 警方表示：“尽管执法部门和社区共同努力，我们仍然不知道尼尔在2月27日离家后发生了什么。” 警方还表示：“我们的首要任务是确保麦卡斯兰先生的安全，我们请求公众协助，查看并保存该地区的任何监控录像，并立即报告任何相关信息。”
3月11日华盛顿报道，特朗普政府美国贸易代表办公室（USTR）今天宣布对中国展开新的贸易调查，旨在取代特朗普总统此前对该国征收的对等关税。 这些对等关税近期已被最高法院裁定为非法。除中国之外，这些新的贸易调查还针对欧盟，墨西哥，以及日本、印度、台湾、越南、韩国、新加坡、瑞士、挪威、印度尼西亚、马来西亚、柬埔寨、孟加拉国和泰国等十几个经济体。 美国贸易代表格里尔（Jamieson Greer）今天在电话会议上表示，这些调查可能将会扩大到更多国家，并将依据1974年《贸易法》(Trade Act）第301条进行。该条款允许美国对被认定存在不公平贸易行为的国家进口商品征收关税。 根据第301条征收的关税可能会取代特朗普去年未经国会授权对大多数国家征收的部分对等关税。 格里尔表示：“总统的贸易政策保持不变。保护美国就业，确保我们与贸易伙伴进行公平贸易。” 格里尔表示，根据《贸易法》第301条进行的调查“将涵盖某些经济体与制造业结构性产能过剩和生产相关的行为、政策和做法”。 格里尔说：“我们预计此次调查将揭露与制造业产能过剩和生产相关的各种不公平贸易行为，我们认为，主要贸易伙伴仍然拥有大量不受国内外市场需求激励机制约束的生产能力。” 格里尔还说：“我们预计未来还会针对特定国家开展其他《贸易法》第301条调查，或者可能会出现其他调查工具或调查方式，我不会透露太多细节。” 格里尔表示，这导致了巨额且持续的贸易顺差。根据《贸易法》第301条，美国贸易代表办公室将收到有关此次调查的书面意见，并举行听证会。 格里尔表示：“我们还会与受此次调查影响的贸易伙伴进行磋商。经过一番磋商后，美国贸易代表办公室将得出调查结果和分析报告，并在必要时提出应对措施。应对措施可以采取多种形式，例如关税、服务费或其他措施。”