Mike Kennedy's 2015 World Youth Championships Prospects-June 17 Update

Candace Hill won the adidas Dream 100 in a new U.S. No. 1 time of 11.21 into a 1.5 meter per second wind. Photo by Steven Pisano.

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

June 17 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. Here is a link to the USATF web site for the U.S. Trials. http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2015/World-...)

Seventh in a Series--Compiled by Mike Kennedy (e-mail mkentrk@aol.com )

NEW BALANCE AND BROOKS MEETS PREVIEW U.S. YOUTH ATHLETES

With just over two weeks before the U.S. Trials at Benedictine University in Lisle (Il.) for the World Youth championships in Cali, Colombia, many of the nations top athletes (born in 1998 or 1999) will have one last chance to sharpen their skills this weekend at the New Balance Nationals in Greensboro (N.C.) and the Brooks PR meet in Seattle (Wa.). The last day to register for the U.S. Trials is June 24 at 6 p.m. Central time. The New Balance meet will feature a full schedule of events while the Brooks meet will concentrate and running events from the 100 through two miles. It is at this time of year the prospects for the U.S. team are beginning to emerge but still a large number of athletes will wait until the last minute to enter. Therefore the following possible team makeup is really just a snapshot in time.

The first time the U.S. conducted a selection meet right before the World Youth championships win in 2009. That team was made up of 55 athletes. Beginning in 2011 the teams have been made up of between 40 and 43 athletes. A major criteria for selection was a demonstrated ability to reach the finals of the WYC based on what it took to make the finals using an average of the last two WYC. Over the last two WYC almost all of athletes named to the team had met that standard and there were only a couple of athletes each year that had achieved that standard were not named to the team. In 2014, nineteen of the twenty girls in individual events advanced to the finals. Based on the current entries and prospective entries it is likely that there will be about 50 athletes will better the mark likely to make a WYC and by a significant margin. Hopefully, if that happens, the USATF and Youth divisionwill be able to send all athletes who significantly better that standard to the WYC. After the season is over it will be very interesting to see who was named to the U.S. Youth team and who was not named.

BOYS

Sprints
Marks likely needed to make a WYC final
100--10.82. 200--21.53. 400--47.08.

Despite the fact that there are at least 30 athletes who have run under 10.82 with legal wind most of them are likely football players and unlikely to go to the Trials. The good news is that Shamon Ehiemua of Marshall (Missouri City, Tx.), with best of 10.67 and 20.89, and Josh Eiker of Galesburg (Il.), at 10.57 and 21.05, are entered in the trials. T.J. Brock of Chaminade (West Hills, Ca.) is the Youth 100 leader in the 10.34 and has run 21.09 for the 200 but he was injured in the State 100 and did not run the 200. Also entered is Maxwell Willis (Bowie, Md.) with bests of 10.43 and 21.27. Keshum Reed of Martin (Arlington, Tx.) is the Youth 400 leader at 45.75 and Josephus Lyles of T.C. Williams (Alexandria, Va.) is second at 46.60. Lyles has also run 21.02. Depth could be a problem in the 400 where Quincy Hall of South (Raytown, Mo.), at 46.98, is the only other athlete to have better the standard likely to make the WYC final.
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Distances
Marks likely needed to make a WYC final
800--1:50.28.
1,500--3:53.17 (worth 4:10.5 for 1,600).
3,000--8:27.29 (worth 9:03.5 for 3,200).
2000 Steeplechase--5:54.57.

Terrell Jackson of University (Memphis, Tn.) is the Youth leader in the 800 at 1:50.38 but is out for the year with an injury. Rey Rivera of Old Bridge (Matawan, N.J.) is likely to be the fastest entrant at 1:50.82 but up to this time no one has bettered 1:50.28--a mark that is likely necessary to make the WYC final. Brandon McGordy of Chantilly (Va.) was the indoor Youth leader at 1:51.50 but was just third in the state outdoor meet at 1:52.69. Hariaran Sathyamurthy of Brownsburg (In.) is the two-time state 800 champion and has not faced serious competition. No athlete has bettered the mark likely to make the WYC final so there is probably “work to do”, before anyone get consideration for Cali. Andrew Ernst of Marblehead (Ma.) ran 3:47.88 Saturday in a Twilight meet in Waltham (Ma.) to lead the 1,500 and Jack Salisbury of La Salle Academy (Providence, R.I.) has run 4:06.74 for a mile, but as of now, neither is entered in the U.S. Trials. Jacob Ogden of Dana Hills (Dana Point, Ca.), at 4:08.24 and Anthony Berry of Central (Traverse City, Mi.) at 4:09.03 are entered. In all, there are seven athletes who have bettered 4:10.5. Aidan Tooker of Saratoga Springs (N.Y.) is the clear leader with best of 8:27.34 for 3,000 and 8:51.52 for 3,200. The latter time is worth 8:14.9 for 3,000. Phillip Roche of Arcadia (Ca.) has run 3:52.27 for 1,500 as well as 8:36.94 and 8:59.43. Ben Veatch of Carmel (In.) has run 8:23.92 and 8:53.42 but, as of now, is not entered. No athlete has bettered the WYC qualifying standard of 6:05.00 for the 2000 steeplechase but Tooker has run 9:06.87 for 3,000. He would probably need a time of under 5:54.57 to get consideration for the U.S. team.

Hurdles
Marks likely needed to make a WYC final
110 HH (36 inches)--13.74 (worth 14.07 over 39-inch hurdles).
400 LH (30 inches)--52.35 (worth 53.85 over 36 inch hurdles).

Three of the top four 110-meter Youth hurdlers in the nation are already entered in the U.S. Trials and the four is likely on the way but this is only his second best event. Damion Thomas of Northeast (Oakland Park, Fl.), at 13.64, is the event leader with a win at the Florida Relays. Joseph Anderson of Upland (Ca.) is next at 13.77 followed by Isaiah Lucas of Cypress Falls (Houston, Tx.) at 13.78. Norman Grimes of Canyon (Tx.), with a best of 13.71, is expected to enter the Trials but after his stunning 50.10 for the 400 hurdles in Cuba this past weekend, he just might pass on the 110 hurdles but you never know. Backings up Grimes in the long hurdles are Lucas at 36.56 and 53.29 and fast improving state champion Infinite Tucker of Huntington (N.Y.), who has run 52.29. And then there is the “mystery guest” Quincy Hall of South (Raytown, Mo.). The junior competed in his first high school meet this past spring running 37.40 for 300 hurdles and 46.98 for the 400. Previously he had limited his track activities to the summer where he ran 52.19 for the 400 hurdles and 46.71 for the 400 in 2014.

Jumps
Marks likely needed to make a WYC final
High Jump--6-9
Pole Vault--15-7
Long Jump--23-10 ½
Triple Jump--49-6

Isaiah Holmes of Oakmont (Ca.) is the top U.S. Trials qualifier at 7-0 followed by Darius Carbin of Mt. Pleasant (San Jose, Ca.) at 6-11. There are three jumper over 7-0 that could still enter the Trials. Jaron Brooks of Henry Clay (Lexington, Ky.) won the New Balance indoor meet at 7-1, Milton Harrell of Tylertown (Ms.) cleared 7-2 in a regional meet before jumping 7-0 at State, and Eric Richards of Hinds Agricultural (Hinds, Ms.) cleared 6-11 ½ in a Summer invitational. Armand Duplantis of Lafayette (La.) is a clear U.S. Youth leader with a national freshman record of 17-4. Riley Richards of China Spring (Tx.) is over 16-6 and Zachary Stugart of Bishop Blanchard (Seattle, Wa.) at 16-5. All three are well clear of the 15-7 that is likely to qualify for the WYC final. Ja’Mari Ward of Cahokia (Il.) is the leader by a wide margin in the long jump at 25-7 ¾ and the triple jump at 51-11and triple jump. No one else has bettered the WYC qualifying standard of 48-6½. Just two other athletes have bettered the long jump standard of 23-9½.


Throws
Marks likely needed to make a WYC final
SP (5-kilograms)--60-1 (worth 57-1 with 12-lb. high school shot).
DT (1.5-kilograms)--183-0 (worth 173-0 for 1.62-kilo high school disc).
HT (5-kilograms)--230-0 (worth 215-0 with 12-lb high school hammer).
JT (700 grams)--227-1 (worth 212-0 with 800-gram javelin).

Two athletes dominate the shot put and discus. Jordan Geist of Knoch (Saxonburg, Pa.) is the shot leader at 69-1 and has a best of 186-2 in the discus. Adrian Piperi of The Woodlands (Tx.) has a best of 188-2 in the discus and 66-5 with the shot. Charles Lenford of Oceanside (Ca.) leads the discus at 194-5 but has not entered the U.S. trials. The depth of the two events almost assures two athletes in each event will easily better what it will likely take to make the WYC finals. Bobby Colantonio of Classical (Providence, R.I.) is the only athlete to have bettered the WYC qualifying standard of 230-0 (worth about 215-0 with the heavier high school hammer) but his 243-7 with the high school hammer indicates he should challenge for a medal at the WYC. No athlete has yet to better the WYC qualifying mark in the javelin.

Decathlon

George Patrick of Brentwood Academy (Brentwood, Tn.) has yet to compete in a traditional decathlon but his marks indicate he should be able to score over 7,200 points.


GIRLS

Sprints
Marks likely needed to make a WYC final
100--11.91.
200--23.89.
400--54.38

Candace Hill of Rockdale County (Conyers, Ga.) and Lauren Rain Williams of Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Ca.) are the solid favorites to finish one-two at the U.S. Trials in the 100 and 200. Unless……………..Kaylin Whitney of Clermont, Fl.) and/or Zaria Francis (Rio Mesa, Oxnard, Ca.) decide to enter the Trials and even then things would figure to be very close. Last year Whitney was the World Junior (under 20) champion in both the 100 and 200. In the 100 she set World Youth (under 18) records with times of 11.10 and 22.47. The 100 time was a national high school record and the 200 ranks just behind Allyson Felix’s national high school record of 22.11. Last week Hill won the Adidas Dream 100 in 11.21 into a 1.5 meter per second wind. When you take into account the wind and factor in a race with no wind Hill’s time would have been…………..drum roll, 11.11. As for Francis, she defeated Williams in the State 100 and 200 with times of 11.31 and 23.09. The backup runners entered in the U.S. Trial are just stunning just in case one of the two favorites run into any difficulties. Serenity Douglas of Archer (Lawrenceville, Ga.) is the leading 400 entrant for the U.S. Trials at 53.42 but if the past is any indication there will be a lot of late entrants leading up to the final entry deadline. Keep an eye out for Sammy Watson of Rush-Henrietta-Sperry (Henrietta, N.Y.) the state champion who has a best of 52.69 and California state champion Hannah Waller of Buchanan (Clovis), who has a best of 53.13. Lauryn Ghee of Grassfield (Chesapeake, Va.) set a personal best of 54.09 in Havana (Cuba) last weekend.


Distances
Marks likely needed to make a WYC final
800--2:07.20.
1,500--4:26.54 (worth 4:46.0 for 1,600 meters)
3,000--9:26.82 (worth 10:08.0 for 3,200 meters)
2,000 steeplechases--6:52.82.

Sammy Watson, who is entered in the 400, and Aaliyah Miller of Boyd (McKinney, Tx.) are probable late entries given their outstanding performances this season and the fact they meet in the USATF National JO 800 last summer with Miller prevailing 2:06.28 to 2:06.35. This year Miller has run 2:05.94 and Watson 2:07.05. Kamryn McIntosh of Suffern (N.Y.) has the top Youth time at 2:05.63 and has run a 2:03.0 relay leg. Danae Rivers of Wilber Cross (New Haven, TC) won the New England Championships in Saco (Me.) with a personal best of 2:05.86. Julia Heymach of Lamar (Houston, Tx.) is the top entrant in the 1,500 at 4:23.51 and has run 4:41.31 for the mile as well as 2:07,.65 for 800. Heymach’s time in the mile stacks up very favorable with recent finals the U.S. has sent to the WYC. Competition could come from freshman Rylee Bowen (Sonoma Academy, Santa Rosa, Ca.) who has run 4:43.92 for 1,600. Alex Harris of North Rockland (Theils, N.Y.) is the steeplechase leader at 6:52.70.


Hurdles
Marks likely needed to make a WYC final
100 HH (30 inches)--13.77 (worth 14.07 with 33-inch hurdles).
400 LJ--60.06.

Mecca McGlaston of Dublin (Ca.) was second in the State 100 hurdles final in 13.18 for the fastest Youth time in the world over 33 inch hurdles. That time was equal No. 7 on the all-time high school list. Last week Alexis Duncan of DeSoto (Tx.) in the Caribbean Scholastic Invitational in Havana (Cuba) ran 13.20 over the 100 low hurdles which are 30 inches and the height that will be run in the WYC. McGlaston is already entered in the U.S. Trials and Duncan is expected to enter. Tonea Marshall of Seguin (Arlington, Tx.) is also entered and has a best of 13.44. Not far behind is Tara Davis of Agoura (Agoura ills, Ca.) who ran 13.48 at the State meet. The quality of this field in the Trials will almost surely be the best Youth final of the year. You could run under 14.00 and not make the final. Last year freshman Sydney McLaughlin of Union Catholic won the U.S. Junior (under 20) championship 400 hurdles in 55.63. That time was the second fastest high school performance of all-time. Unfortunately, for her and the U.S., she was to YOUNG to compete at the World Junior championship because she was not yet 16 years of age. Fourth in that race was freshman Reonna Collier of Vacaville (Ca.) at 58.55. Collier is already entered in the U.S. Trials and McLaughlin is expected to enter. McLaughlin’s time would have won the 2013 World Youth championships by more than two seconds and Collier would have finished third. This year McLaughlin has run 57.39 and Collier has run 58.93. Jurnee Woodward of Vacaville has the best 300 hurdle time at 41.10 and has run 61.16 for the 400 hurdles...



Jumps
Marks likely needed to make a WYC final
HJ--5-8
PV--12-8½
LJ--19-5½
TJ--41-4

Vashti Cunningham of Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nv.) set the national high school high jump record this spring at 6-4 ½ but indicated that she would probably limit her summer activity to the National AAU JO AAU competition. As of now the only athletes entered in he U.S. trials that have meet the IAAF qualifying standard are Alicia Moellring of Villa Duchesne (St.Louis, Mo.) and Madison Yerigan of Stanwood (Wa.), both at 5-10. Tyra Gittens of Ensworth (Nashville, Tn.) has been over 6-0 and would be a slight favorite if she were entered. There are six pole vaulters entered in the trials that have bettered 12-8½--a height that is likely to advance to the WYC final. Colleen Clancy of Smithson Valley (Tx.) and Carson Dingler of First Presbyterian Day, Macon, Ga.), both at 13-6, and Rachel Baxter of Canyon (Anaheim, Ca.), at 13-3, lead the way. Tara Davis, with marks of 20-6 and 41-6 ¾ is the only athlete that has bettered both long jump and triple jump markers that would likely advance to the WYC finals. Titiana Marsh of Thomas Dale (Chester, Va.), who has not yet entered, has best of 19-10 and 41-2 that better the WYC qualifying standards. Freshman Maya Evans of Vista Peak (Aurora, Co.) has also bettered the WYC qualifying standard in the long jump with her 18-9 ¼ in the State meet..
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Throws
Marks likely needed to make a WYC final
SP (3-kilograms)--51-10 (worth 45-10 with 4-kilogram shot).
DT--148-4.
HT (3 kilograms)--206-11 (worth 186-11 with 4-kilo hammer).
JT (500 grams)--161-4 (worth 151-4 with 600-gram javelin).

As of now, Elena Bruckner of Valley Christian (San Jose, Ca.), the national youth leader in both the shot put, at 53-5 ¼ and the discus at 183-5 has not entered in the U.S. Trials. Even without Bruckner the U.S. prospects are excellent. In the shot there are three athletes entered with puts over 50 feet: Nickolette Dunbar of Whippany Park (Whippany, N.J.) at 51-2 ¾, Sophia Rivera of Brentwood (St. Louis, Mo.) at 51-1 ¾ and Kathleen Young of Warrensburg-Latham (Warrensburg, Oh.) at 50-10. The difference between the 3-kilo Youth shot and the 4-kilo high school/international shot is about six feet. Given that difference the U.S. top three athletes are likely to throw close to 56 feet and it took 51-10 with the 3-kilo shot to make the WYC final. The top three discus entrants are Josie Schaefer of Baraboo (Wi.) at 169-4, Natalie Manders of Eastview (Apple Valley, Mn.) at 167-6 and Sam Noennig of Harford (Wi.) at 161-6. In all nine entrants have thrown over 148-4. Madison Wiltrout of Connellsville (Pa.), the new national high school record holder at 185-8, is out for the season with an arm injury. Still there are three excellent throwers entered who have thrown over 164-0. Rivera, who has also meet the qualifying standard in both the shot and the discus, has a best of 175-10, followed by Katelyn Gochenour of Marian (Omaha, Nb.) at 167-2 and Tairyn Montgomery of Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Ca.) at 164-4. The Youth throw a lighter 500-gram javelin compared to the high school 600-gram javelin. The difference is about 10 feet so all three could be expected to throw over 170-4 with the lighter youth javelin. As of now no hammer throw has meet the WYC qualifying mark of 206-11 with the 3-kilo hammer.


Heptathlon

Tyra Gittens has a best of 4,934 from last year with the international specifications but has not done a heptathlon this year. The difference between the Youth and international heptathlon is about 200 points. There is no one entered with a total of over 4,900 points.

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-...

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-...

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-...