Faces in the Crowd
ASHIMA SHIRAISHI
NEW YORK CITY > BOULDERING
Ashima, a sixth-grader at the Rudolf Steiner School, flashed (climbed on her first try) nine out of 10 problems at the American Bouldering Series youth nationals in Colorado Springs to win her fourth straight national title. Last March, at age 10, she became the youngest to ascend the Crown of Aragorn at Hueco Tanks State Park in Texas (a V13 on a scale of V0 to V16); at Kentucky's Red River Gorge in October, at 11, she became the youngest to send a 5.14c-level sport climb (the most difficult is a 5.15c).
MICHAEL CHERRY
CHESAPEAKE, VA. > TRACK AND FIELD
Michael, a senior at Oscar Smith High, set a national indoor record in the 300 meters with a 33.05 at the Virginia Class 3A championships, breaking the 33.19 mark set in 1986 and winning his second straight event title. He also won his second consecutive title in the 500 (1:03.13) and anchored the Tigers' 4 √ó 400-relay win. At indoor nationals a week later he won the 400 in a national season-best time of 46.87 and took silver in the 200 (21.43). Michael will run at Florida State.
DANIELLE COUGHLIN
NORTH ANDOVER, MASS. > WRESTLING
Danielle, a senior co-captain at North Andover High, won the 106-pound weight class at the Division 2 state championships to become the first girl to win a wrestling title in Massachusetts and the fourth in the U.S. She defeated Winchester High's Jordan Darby 5--3 in the final to help the Scarlet Knights earn the team championship for the fourth straight year. A week later Danielle became the first girl to win a match at the New England championships. She finished with a 115--44 career record.
AMR KHALED KHALIFA
CAIRO, EGYPT > SQUASH
Khalifa, a freshman at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., defeated top-seeded Todd Harrity, a Princeton senior, 3--0 at the College Squash Association championships in Hartford, to win the men's title. In the semifinals he came back from a two-game deficit to beat defending champion Ali Farag, a Harvard junior. A world junior champ in 2010, Khalifa finished his first collegiate season with a 15--0 record, helping the Saints to a No. 6 national ranking, the highest in program history.
ROSE ROBINSON
IRMO, S.C. > BASKETBALL
Rose, a 5'5" senior guard at Dutch Fork High, made four consecutive free throws in the final 10 seconds of the Class 4A championship to seal a 46--43 victory over Dorman High (Roebuck, S.C.). Rose, who had not scored previously in the game, helped the Silver Foxes clinch their second straight state title and extend their winning streak to 40. Averaging 5.0 points and 4.2 assists, Rose was selected to play in the state North-South all-star game.
LUKE AND MARK SUNDE
CUYAHOGA FALLS, OHIO > ICE HOCKEY
Luke (left) and Mark, twin senior forwards at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, each broke national records in helping the Royals to the sectional finals. Luke scored 399 career points to surpass the previous record set by Doug Wood of Michigan's University Liggett School from 1987 to '90 (372), and Mark eclipsed Wood's career assists record (195) with 199. In Ohio history Luke's 243 goals are No. 1 and Mark's 350 points are No. 2.
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Golden Toes
A Tokyo jeweler is selling a 55-pound solid gold replica of Lionel Messi's left foot—including blood vessels and folds of skin—for $5.3 million, to commemorate the FC Barcelona striker's unprecedented fourth straight Ballon d'Or award as world player of the year. Miniatures of the statue will also be sold, with part of the profits going to help victims of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in 2011.
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JOMA/ACTION PLUS/ICON SMI (MESSI)
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FRANCK ROBICHON/EPA (FOOT)
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BEAU KAHLER (SHIRAISHI)
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OSCAR SMITH HIGH TIGER YEARBOOK STAFF (CHERRY)
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NICK CINCOTTA (COUGHLIN)
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TARA FREEMAN/ST. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY (KHALIFA)
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BEM RIVERS PRODUCTIONS (ROBINSON)
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DOUG FAIRCHILD (SUNDE BROTHERS)
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