Aidan Tooker of Saratoga Springs, New York, ran 8:51.52 in the 3200m at the Loucks Games; that time is worth 8:14.9 for 3000m and would have ranked him sixth at the 2013 World Youth Championship.
2015 WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS (WYC)
At Cali, Colombia, July 15-19
2015 U.S. WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS
At Benedictine University, Lisle, Illinois, June 30-July 1
Boys Report | Girls Report
May 15 Update
To be eligible to compete you must 1) be a U.S. citizen with a valid passport; 2) be born in 1998 or 1999; and 3) have met two qualifying standards, one standard for the U.S. World Youth Championship trials and a second standard for the World Youth Championships (there are two separate standards and two different time frames when marks must be achieved). Those 2015 World Youth Standards can be found on the separate Boys List and Girls List. Those marks must be made between October 1, 2014 and July 1, 2015. The 2015 U.S. Trials standards for the World Youth Championships are now listed. The qualifying window for the U.S. Trials for the WYC is between October 1, 2014 and July 26, 2015. Here is a link to the USATF web site for the U.S. Trials. http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2015/World-Youth-Track---Field-Trials.aspx)
Fifth in a Series -- Compiled by Mike Kennedy (e-mail mkentrk@aol.com )
DISTANCE RUNNERS SHINE AT LOUCKS; WILTROUT GETS JAVELIN RECORD
Twelve New Leading Marks Unearthed In the Last Two Weeks; Texas State Meet on Deck
With eleven runners going under nine minutes the Loucks Games 3,200 it was on of the greatest in season East Coast distances races of all time. Aiden Tooker of Saratoga Springs led the Youth performers with a fifth place finish in 8:51.52. Conor Lundy of Fordham (Bronx, N.Y.) was seventh at 8:55.75, followed by La Salle Academy (Providence, R.I.) runners, Jack Salisbury in eighth at 8:56.55, Matt Bouthillette in tenth at 8:59.78 and David Principe in eleventh at 9:00.31. Putting those marks in terms of the 3,000, Tooker's time is worth 8:14.9 according to the Track and Field News equivalency tables. At the 2013 World Youth championships that would have been ten seconds fasters that the sixth place finisher. In fact Lundy and Salisbury would have easily finished in the top six. In 2011, the last time the U.S. sent runners to the WYC 3,000, both made the final.
Sophomore Madison Wiltrout of Connellsville (Pa.) led an outstanding group of performers with No. 1 Youth performers that have come to light in the last two week. Her javelin throw of 185-8 broke not only the American Youth and high school record of 181-2 set by Haley Crouser in 2012 but also the U.S. Junior (under 20) record old 176-8 set by Avione Allgood of Legacy (North Las Vegas, Nv.) in 2012. The world leader is Yuzhen Yu of China with a monster throw of 203-3 at the Asian Youth championship but given the fact that the Youth throw the lighter 500 gram javelin, Wiltrout's throw with the heaver 600 gram implement put her within ten feet of Yu. Second place on the world yearly list is 182-9 and therefore behind Wiltrout given a difference of about 10 feet between the two javelins. In the 2013 WYC third place was 178-0 and fifth place was 169-1. With the U.S. having four throwers over 165-0 feet and two of those four would be in contention for not only a spot in the final but also medals.
Here is a look at some of the outstanding performances turned in by the boys. T.J. Brock of Chaminade (West Hills, Ca.) won the Mission League 100 final at Occidental college in a Youth-leading 10.42 and then came back to take the 200 in 21.09. Antonio Mitchell of Vista Murrieta (Murrieta, Ca.) ran 10.51 to win the Southwestern League 100 final and was second in the 200 at 21.48. Two weeks ago in the Texas state 6A regional's, Jace Comick of Atascocita (Humble) at 21.31, Jackson Gleason of Mansfield (Tx.) at 21.32 and Reynaus Jackson of Klein Forest (Houston), also at 21.32. All qualified for this weekend's final. Shamon Ehiemua of Marshall (Missouri City) 21.23 is in the 5A final. In looking at the boys sprint list is good to keep in mind that football is a key factor in who actually attends the U.S. World Youth trials. In 2013 of the top ten 100-meter sprinters listed prior to the meet just one runner actually went to the starting line. Keshum Reed of Martin (Arlington, Tx.) is the national Youth 400 leader at 46.67 but should be pushed in the 6A final.
There are four boys who have put up new Youth-leading marks. Jordan Geist of Knoch (Saxonburg, Pa.) just keeps getting better and better. His current best of 69-1 with the 12-lb high school shot is worth about 72-0 feet with the Youth shot of five kilograms (11 lbs). The current leader with that implement is Szymon Mazur of Poland at 69-3½. At the 2013 WYC, 72-3 won the gold medal and 67-6 was good for third. Armand Duplantis of Lafayette (La.) at 17-4 and Riley Richards of China Spring (Tx.) at 16-6 are No. 1 and 2 in the world in the pole vault. In 2013 the gold medal was won at 17-2 ¾ and 16-7 took the bronze medal. Milton Harrell of Tylertown (Ms.) is the world Youth high jump leader with his 7-2 clearance in his high school sectional meet. He then won the State 3A title at 7-0. In 2013 WYC the bronze medal was won at 7-1 and 6-9 3/4 placed in the top eight. Bobby Colantonio of Barrington (R.I.) is the U. S. leader with the high school (12-lb) hammer at 238-7. Last week he threw 256-6 with the Youth hammer (11-lb/5-Kilo) and that ranks at the No.4 throw in the world just behind second placer Mykhaylo Havrylyuk of Ukraine at 257-11. Not in the group of new No. 1 performers is the leading Youth horizontal jumper, Ja'Mari Ward of Cahokia (Il.), who has outdoor best of 25-6 ¼ in the long jump and 51-11 in the triple jump. He ranks at the No. 3 Youth in the world in both events. In 2013 at the WYC the bronze medal in the long jump was won at 24-8 ½ and the triple jump at 52-6 ¾. Sixth place in the triple jump was 51-6.
Candace Hill of Rockdale County (Conyers, Ga.) won the State 6A 200 in a personal best of 23.05 to take over the national high school lead after winning the 100 in 11.34. Last years World Junior 100 and 200 champion and Track and Field News' women's Athlete of the Year, Kaylin Whitney of Clermont (Fl.), who has since turned pro, began her summer build up with times of 11.66 and 23.16. The 100-meter hurdles at the Youth level is beginning to look like the Senior level--the toughest competitive event on the schedule. Tonea Marshall of Seguin (Arlington, Tx.) is the new national Youth leader at 13.44 taking over for last year's leader, Alexis Duncan of DeSoto (Tx.), who ran 13.33 last year and has a best of 13.44 this year. Right now there are eight girls who have run 13.84 this year and all of them could well meet up at the U.S. trials. The U.S. runs over the international 33-inch height while the Youth height is 30 inches. The world youth leaders are Taylon Bieldt of South Africa and 13.27 and Janeek Brown of Jamaica at 13.29. Third fastest time is 13.52. Give a difference of about .30 seconds the U.S. should be very competitive regardless of who makes the team.
There are three new national Youth field leaders joining Wiltrout, Vashti Cunningham of Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nv.) at 6-4½ the high jump and Carson Dingler of First :Presbyterian Day (Macon, Ga.) at 13-6 in the pole vault. Kathleen Young of Warrensburg-Latham (Warrensburg, Il.) is the new shot put leader at 50-10 with the 4-kilo weight. In all there are four U. S. athletes who have throw over 50 feet. World Youth throw the 3-kilo shot and the difference between the two is between five and six feet. The world Youth leader is Kristina Rakocevic of Montenegro at 60-10 ½ but the No. 6 thrower is at 55-3 so again the U.S. should be very competitive. Natalie Manders of Eastview (Apple Valley, Mn.) is the new discus leader at 167-6 taking over the lead from Elena Bruckner of Valley Christian (San Jose, Ca.) who just set a personal best of 162-8. Rakocevic is also the discus leader at 175-0. Manders and Bruckner rank No. 2 and 3 in the world. In 2013 the gold medal was won at 184-10 and the bronze medal at 168-11. Fourth place was 156-4. Freshman Titiana Marsh of Thomas Dale (Chester, Va.), already the leader in the triple jump at 41-2 is now the co-leader with Tara Davis (Agoura, Agoura Hills, Ca.) in the long jump at 19-10.
U.S. Trials Qualifying Information (a must-read)
The United States is the seven-time defending World Youth team champion. The U.S. Trials are scheduled in just under two months at Benedictine University in Lisle (Il.). The first two finishers in each event, provided they have met the IAAF World Youth championships standard, will be placed in a pool and the U.S. team will be selected from that pool. Since 2001 there have been between 40 and 55 athletes selected, although in recent years the number has been between 40 and 43.
The 2013 U.S. World Youth team was made up of 43 athletes. The USATF has fixed the size of recent teams at around 40, twenty of which are paid for by the IAAF. The general guideline that has been used in selecting the U.S. team has been a demonstrated ability to advance to the finals of the World Youth Championships. Those standards are much higher than the entry standards set by the IAAF. However, the tougher standards have resulted in between five and ten athletes, who have shown that ability to reach the World Youth Championship finals, not being selected. With the success of U. S. Youth-age athletes (born in 1998 or 1999) at last year at the IAAF World Junior championship in Eugene, there is a high likelihood that additional well deserving athletes might not be selected. An example of the success selection method, 2013 World Youth Championships saw 19 of 20 girls selected for the U.S. team made WYC finals. Unless the size of the 2015 team is increased, there is a high likelihood that U.S. will again deny deserving athletes the invaluable experiences that can only be gained in competitions such as the WYC.
Perhaps the most important thing that athletes can do is to be sure to have a U.S. passport valid through 2015. You must have a passport with you when you participate in the U.S. World Youth trials. You will not be able to get a passport at the U.S. trials. Be sure to allow at least six weeks from the time that you apply for a passport until it is sent to you. You can apply for a passport through the Post Office. Getting a passport is a long-term investment. It is good for 10 years and there is every reason to believe that athletes with the talent to qualify for the World Youth Championships will have need of a passport multiple times in the next 10 years.
A special note concerning the following events: 1,500 meters, 3,000 meters 2,000-meter steeplechase and 400-meter hurdles. All athletes must have a qualifying mark in these specific events to that meet the IAAF standards for entry into the World Youth Championships. You can not substitute 1,600, mile, 3,200, two-mile or 300-meter hurdles times to meet the IAAF standards. Because the distance standards are very tough, athletes are advised to compete in 1,500 and 3,000 races against college-open athletes. You can use times in those events to qualify. In the 100, 200, 100-meter hurdles and 110-meter hurdles plus the long jump and the triple jump, qualifying marks must be accompanied by wind readings of 2.0 meters per second or less. It should be noted that the hurdle heights at the U.S. Trials will be the heights at the WYC. The hurdle heights will be three inches shorter in the boys 110 and 400 hurdles and the girls 100 hurdles.
Although the World Youth Championships is an outdoor event, indoor marks may be used to qualify. However, the running events must take place on flat-floor tracks of 400 meters or less.
Here is the U.S.A. Track and Field website link for the U.S. Trials for the 2015 World Youth Championships.
http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2015/World-Youth-Track---Field-Trials.aspx
Here is a link to the 2013 U.S. Trials for the WYC that will give you an idea of what to expect in 2015. This includes results from the U.S. Trials in 2013.
http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2013/World-Youth-Track---Field-Trials.aspx
Here is the IAAF website for the 2015 World Youth Championships. That also includes the results from the 2013 World Youth Championships. When take comes up click on History for 2013 results.
http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-youth-championships