Photo Credit: Nathan Green Instagram
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Nathan Green is punching above his weight.
The University of Washington freshman made his way out of the rounds on Monday in the first round of the men's 1,500m at the World U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia, finishing second in the third heat to move on to the finals.
Green, a 2021 Borah (ID) graduate who ran 4:00 flat in the mile as a senior, hit 3:45.80 on the clock to finish just behind Ethiopian Ermias Girma's time of 3:45.40.
Green will have his work cut out for him on Wednesday.
Seven athletes will go into the final with better times, including Kenya's Reynold Kipkorir Cheruiyot (3:40.96) and Daniel Kimaiyo (3:42.69), who ran the two fastest times in the 1,500m out of heat two and heat one.
But Green does have some history in his back-pocket.
He ran a lifetime best of 3:37.46 at the NCAA Championships in June and added a time of 3:39 in May.
MORNING:
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Women's Javelin: U.S. athlete Elizabeth Bailey was 16th with a mark of 41.99m.
Women's Shot Put: Chrystal Herpin, a freshman from Texas, was seventh with a mark of 14.25 meters.
Women's 3K Steeple Heats: Live to see another day. That was the sentiment for the Americans, who pulled the sixth- and seventh-qualifiers (of eight) in the semifinals of the event. Cornwall's (NY) Karrie Baloga, a Colorado commit, ran 10:35.33 to finish sixth, while teammate Harper McClain, a freshman at Oregon, was seventh in 10:37.05. Faith Cherotich, of Kenya, was the fastest women in the heat -- and overall -- going 9:38.18, while Ethiopia's Meseret Yeshaneh was second in 9:41.99.
Women's 800m Heats: Reigning MileSplit50 Athlete of the Year Juliette Whittaker confidently won the first round of action on Monday, clocking a time of 2:04.92 in the third heat to move on. Teammate Roisin Willis, just one heat later, did the same, authoring a time of 2:09.68 to move on to the next round.
Men's Long Jump: Johnny Brackins, a freshman from Baylor, was second overall in the qualification round, hitting 7.69 meters in the pit to move on to the next round. In the first section, Curtis Williams, a freshman from Florida State, eked by in sixth overall, also moving on to the next round.
Men's 100m Heats: Through eight heats of preliminary action, both Americans moved on, with Laurenz Colbert, a freshman at Baylor, clocking a time of 10.39 seconds. Alabama-Huntsville freshman Michael Gizzi ran the fastest of any American, clocking a time of 10.35 seconds in the sixth heat to move on.
AFTERNOON:
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Women's Discus: A little preface to the American results here. Sweden's Emma Sralla, a rising senior at Lewisville Marcus, threw an outstanding 178 feet, 10 inch (54.51m) opening throw at Worlds, winning the first section of action overall. That was Sralla's second-best throw of her career. Ames Burton, a freshman at Lincoln University, did not advance, throwing a first round mark of 46.64m. Siniru Iheoma, a freshman at Princeton, moved on to the finals with her third-place throw of 50.41m in the second section.
Men's 110mH Heats: Northgate's (GA) Malik Mixon, a USC signee, was third in heat three, qualifying for the next round while TJ Caldwell, a freshman at Pittsburg State, clocked a lifetime best of 13.73 seconds to win heat five.
Women's Pole Vault: Amanda Moll, the superstar pole vaulter from Olympia (WA), secured her advancement to the next round with a vault of 4.05, finishing third overall. Moll's sister, Hana Moll, mirrored her sister, hitting 4.05m to finish second in section two and advance on to the next round.
Mixed 4x400 Heats: The United States' team, gold medal threats, ran the fastest overall time of the three rounds, clocking a time of 3:18.65 behind the efforts of Charlie Bartholomew, Madison Whyte, Will Sumner and Kaylyn Brown. Sumner is a recent graduate of Woodstock (GA), while Whyte is a rising senior at Newport News Heritage.
Women's 3K Final: Heidi Nielson, a freshman at Arkansas and a 2021 graduate of Katy Cinco Ranch (TX), was 12th overall with a time of 9:56.35.
Men's 5K Final: Tyrone Gorze, a rising senior at Crater (OR) was 12th overall in a time of 14:32.23.
Men's Shot Put (6kg): Woonsocket's Tarik O'Hagan continued his strong season in the first round of action, throwing 19.65m with the international weight. He moved on to the finals. Cade Moran, a freshman at Michigan, was 10th with a mark of 17.44m, failing to advance.
BREAKOUT PERFORMER:
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Michael Gizzi, Huntsville-Alabama
The freshman out of Alabama ran the fastest time of any American in the 100m heats, clocking a time of 10.35 to move on to the next round.
WHAT'S NEXT:
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Day 2 of the World U20 Championships will feature the finals of the women's and men's shot put, the women's javelin, the men's long jump, the mixed relay and the men's 100m.