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Brittany Bowe stole the show on the first day of Outdoor Nationals, setting a U.S. record in the 300 meters and winning the 1000 meters. "She looks very, very impressive," said former World Team coach Linda Wood. "It's as though she never took her skates off." After a disappointing World Championships last summer, Bowe took most of the winter off to devote herself to basketball. The 19-year-old plays point guard for Florida Atlanta University, which she attends on a basketball scholarship. Bowe's time off led to doubts about her future in skating. But she put those doubts to rest, first by winning the Seoul World Inline Cup in April and today by winning both events in the first day of racing at the Velodrome in Colorado Springs. Bowe's record-setting time in today's 300-meter time trial was 27.759 seconds. The time broke the old record of 27.941, which she set last year. Bowe also set a U.S. record today in the 1000 meters: 1 minute and 36.729 seconds, beating a 6-year-old mark by Julie Glass. But in a later heat, her record was shaved by Emily Scott, who posted a time of 1:35.435. However, Bowe came back in the finals of the 1000 meters to beat Scott, although at less than record pace. "She's back and Worlds had better watch out," Wood said. "The girl was just flying today!" Bowe and Scott weren't the only ones setting records in Colorado Springs. Mighty Mantia Reigning World Champion Joey Mantia broke his own U.S. record in the 300 meter mark with a time of 25.959 seconds. The old record, which he set last year, was 26.140.
Another national record came from Sacramento's Josh Wood. He notched a mark in the 1000 meters with a time of 1:29.06. That beat his own record of 1:30.561, which he set last year. Nonetheless, Wood finished seventh in the 1000-meter finals, which Mantia won, and still has his work cut out for him to earn a berth on the U.S. World Team. This year, USA Roller Sports is only sending 24 skaters (six men, six women, six junior men, six junior women) to the World Championships. Last year, it sent 32. Josh Wood is transitioning back to inline for the summer. He spent most of the winter and spring training on ice after accepting an invitation to Olympic inline-to ice program. Placement and points after two races: Senior Women:
Senior Men:
Junior Women (under 18)
Junior Men:
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