WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Canada — A Nicholls State University women’s track and field standout recorded a top-five finish in her second national championship meet in two weeks with a fourth place finish at the 2011 Canadia Junior National Track and Field Championships on Saturday.

Jaimee Springer recorded the finish after entering the junior national championship meet ranked second in the nation among Canadian juniors in the javelin. She qualified for the national meet by recording a personal record throw of 44.71 meters (146 feet, 8 inches) at the Cole Lancoln Twilight meet at UL-Lafayette in April.

The Colonel sophomore also competed for the Canadian Senior National Track and Field Championships two weeks ago, finishing 12th with a throw of 37.19 meters (122 feet, 0.17 inches).

Springer improved on her mark at the senior national meet by just over five meters, recording a throw of 42.23 meters (138 feet, 6.59 inches).

However, in a crowded field, Springer finished just over 13 feet shy of clinching a top-two finish at the junior national meet that would have qualified her to represent Team Canada at the 2011 Junior Pan American Games in Mirimar, Fla., later this month.

Springer now will turn her attention to representing Team Alberta at the 2011 Western Canada Summer Games after winning the 2011 CALTAF Track Classic in Calgary with a throw of 43.62 meters (143 feet, 1.25 inches) to take first place in the women’s 21 and under javelin competition. The Western Canada Summer Games will be held in Kamloops, British Columbia, on Aug. 4-6.

The event features the top athletes, ages 16-22, in the Canada’s seven most western provinces and territories (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut).