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The top athletes under 20 years old compete for a world championship at Grosseto Italy.

Day 1 Tuesday July 13

text by Jim Spier - a page of photos by Joy Kamani - PhotoRun pix of opening ceremonies and Day 1
Morning
Natasha Hastings, Ashlee Kidd, Lashawn Merritt, Ashley Owens, Erica McLain, Demi Omole, Ivory Williams
breeze through prelims. Saudi Arabian Yahya Al-Gahes surprises in 10.42.

Afternoon
Caitlin Chock 15:52.88 USR in 5k. Jasmine Baldwin 11.46, Ashley Owens 11.35 win 100m semis with two fastest times. Latavia Thomas 2:07.17 advances. Ivory Williams 10.30 wins semi heat, but Demi Omole 10.19 is edged in photo by Daniel Bailey 10.19 (Antigua national record).

Caitlin Chock
15:52.88 USR !!!

Granite Bay Roseville CA sr Caitlin Chock finished 5th in the 5000 meters in 15:52.88, chopping 18 seconds off the US high school national record 16:10.60 she set just ... weeks ago. Chock did it against a top international field that was full of personal bests and national records.
Pos Bib Athlete Country Mark
1 193 Melkamu Meselech ETH 15:21.52 (CR)
2 457 Chikwakwa Catherine MAW 15:36.22 (NJR)
3 395 Iwamoto Chiaki JPN 15:39.59
4 118 Sun Weiwei CHN 15:50.67 (PB)
5 715 Chock Caitlin USA 15:52.88 (PB)
6 192 Kedir Rehima ETH 15:54.34 (PB)
7 403 Nohara Yuko JPN 15:57.51
8 69 Minina Volha BLR 15:58.93 (NJR)

The winner, Meselech Melkamu of Ethiopia, was the 2004 World Junior Cross Country champion in Brussels.

photo by PhotoRun

Jim Spier's on-site report:
As good as Caitlin Chock is, this was to be her "coming of age". And, "… boy, did she come of age!" Moving from from second to last to fourth over the first 7 laps, the U. of Richmond-bound Californian maintained fourth place until the last 100 meters, being passed on the homestretch. Her time is a new high school record at 15:52.88, and she is the first high schooler to break 16 minutes. Meselech Melkamu of Ethiopia got the win and the meet record, running 15:21.52. Here are Caitlin's splits (these are hand times, not FAT):

72.42 72.42
2:27.0 74.55
3:45.0 77.96
5:01.71 76.78 1600m
6:16.39 74.68
7:31.04 74.85
8:46.46 75.42
9:23 at 3000m
10:01.97 75.51 3200m
11:17.58 75.61
12:34.36 76.78
13:54.07 79.71
15:15.0 80.93
15:52.88

Chock's coach Leonard Sperandeo gave this account of the race:
"She went out in 72, last place. Started to move up and hit the mile at 5:02. She moved up during the 2nd mile to 4th and hit 10:02, right about the pace we were shooting for. She hit 3 miles in 15:15. We will attempt the National High School 2 miles/3200 record at an all comers meet in Los Gatos on the 22nd."

Day 1 Afternoon Session

Women

100m - Semifinals

(Top 2 in each of the 3 heats and those with the next 2 fastest times advance to the final)

Semi 1 - If there was any question about Jasmine Baldwin being ready, the question was answered. Having the second worst start of the field (.161 seconds), she closed fast to win in 11.46 (-0.1), edging Sally Mc Lellan of Australia by .03. Mc Lellan's time of 11.49 was a PB.

Semi 2 - A classic Tony Wells-coached athlete, Ashley Owens was out of the blocks fast (.148 seconds) and the outcome was never in doubt. She won in 11.35, more than four tenths faster than second placer Schillonie Calvet of Jamaica (11.77).

Semi 3 - After one false start charged to the field, Wanda Hutson of Trinidad was out fast and maintained the lead for the entire race. But the Lina Jacques-Sebastien of France closed fast and almost caught Hutson. Hutson ran 11.60 to Jacques-Sebatien's 11.69.

800m - Round 1

Race 1 - Trisa Nickoley was with the pack at the first lap (62.54) and close at 600 meters (1:34.52), but faded to last down the homestretch, running 2:09.66. Ekaterina Martynova of Russia was the winner at 2:05.94.

Race 2 - Charlotte Moore, the only entrant with a PB of better than 2 minutes, looked great for 600 meters, passing the halfway point at 63.22 and 1:35.23. But she was passed handily with 50 meters to go by Belarus' Natalya Koreyvo. Koreyvo won in 2:07.68 to Moore's 2:07.93.

Race 3 - Latavia Thomas was with the pack at 400 meters, passed in a quick 62.45. At 600 meters Latavia was in third and maintained that place at the end, running a personal best 2:07.17. Binnaz Uslu of Turkey won in 2:05.46, with Elodie Guegan of France back by .03. Thomas qualified for the semis based on time.

Race 4 - Kay-Ann Thompson of Jamaica set a fast pace, leading the 400 meters with a torrid 58.21, and 600 meters at 1:30.37. But everyone was with her! She was passed down the stretch by Simona Barcau of Romania (2:04.30), Mariya Shapaeva of Russia (2:04.31) and Diana Dienel of Germany (2:04.34). Thompson will probably qualify on time, running 2:06.11

Race 5 - Passing the 400 in 63.47, the pack was together. Then the sprint began, with 600m run in 1:36.05 by the leader. It was probably only going to be the top 2 in this case, and those were Laura Finucane of Great Britain (2:07.10) and Larisa Arcip of Romania (2:07.32).

3000m Steeplechase - Semifinals

Race 1 - Asli Cakir of Turkey won the race in 10:08.87, establishing a championship record as this was the first time the event was contested at this meet. Amber Harper (BYU) finished 6th in 10:32.96, well off her personal best.

Race 2 - Gladys Jerotich Kipkemoi of Kenya, running barefoot, had no problem in winning this race, cruising to a 10;13.25 victory. Selena Sekulic (Wake Forest) finished 6th in 10:50.03.

Race 3 - Another Kenyan victory, though this young lady wore shoes. Mercy Wanjiku Njoroge won her race in 10:16.70, with Biljana Jovic of Serbia and Montenegro finishing second in a national record time of 10:18.26.

5000m Final

As good as Caitlin Chock is, this was to be her "coming of age". And, "… boy, did she come of age!" Moving from from second to last to fourth over the first 7 laps, the U. of Richmond-bound Californian maintained fourth place until the last 100 meters, being passed on the homestretch. Her time is a new high school record at 15:52.88, and she is the first high schooler to break 16 minutes. Meselech Melkamu of Ethiopia got the win and the meet record, running 15:21.52. Here are Caitlin's splits (these are hand times, not FAT):

72.42 72.42
2:27.0 74.55
3:45.0 77.96
5:01.71 76.78 1600m
6:16.39 74.68
7:31.04 74.85
8:46.46 75.42
9:23 at 3000m
10:01.97 75.51 3200m
11:17.58 75.61
12:34.36 76.78
13:54.07 79.71
15:15.0 80.93
15:52.88


Javelin - Qualifying

Group A - Five automatic qualifiers here, with all besting the automatic qualifying standard of 171-7. They were:

Asdis Hjalmsdottir Iceland 182-1 (Natl Jr Rec)
Annabel Thomson Australia 178-11
Vivian Zimmer Germany 175-4
Yekaterina Kozhenkova Russia 174-3
Emika Yoshida Japan 171-8

Group B - Two more automatic qualifiers from this group:

Annike Suthe Germany 177-7
Hanna Lindgren Finland 171-7

Mallory Webb (Fresno State) could manage only140-8 for 27th overall.

Hammer Throw - Qualifying

The U.S. athletes had a difficult time against such outstanding competition. Laci Heller (Kansas State) was not able to get a legal mark, and Kristen Callen (Virginia Tech) could manage only 183-3, missing qualifying by less than three feet and finishing in 15th place. The leading qualifiers were:

Nataliya Zolotukhina Ukraine 211-11
Mariya Smolyachkova Belarus 198-4
Youyu Yang China 198-1
Vanda Nickl Hungary 198-0
Malwina Sobierajska Poland 197-0

Men

100m - Semifinals

Semi 1 - Demi Omole had to run! I think he was a bit surprised by the strength of Daniel Bailey of Antigua. Bailey edged Omole, closing fast, with both running 10.19. Bailey's time was a National Junior Record for Antigua.

Semi 2 - A "smooth" Yahya Al-Gahes of Saudi Arabia had no problem winning this race, easily winning in 10.38. He was the fastest starter as well (.121 seconds reaction time). The Greek, Efthimios Steryioulis was second in 10.46.

Semi 3 - A good start for Ivory Williams aided his 10.30 win, a personal best. James Ellington of Great Britain was second in 10.41.

800m - Round 1

Race 1 - Out in 53.18 was Majed Saeed Sultan with the pack not far behind. With a patented homestretch run, the Kenyan Alfred Kirwa Yego took the win in a time of 1:48.96.

Race 2 - Tim Harris is out strong, settling into second behind Frances's Kevin Hautcoeur. Hautcouer, who passes 400 meters at 53.77. Harris stays in the pack, but can't maintain through 700 meters and, though he tries to move with 100 to go, just doesn't have the kick of the others and finished fourth in 1:50.75. Reuben Twijukye of Uganda caught Hautcouer at the end, running 1:49.50 to Hautcouer's 1:49.88.

Race 3 - With a slow first lap (56.01), you just know that the race will be decided by a sprint. And so it was, with Kenyan Elijah Kiprono Boit winning in a "slowish" 1:51.77. But a top 2 finish guarantees a spot in the semis, so it's not how fast you run, but where you place.

Race 4 - Marcus Mayes (Missouri), though with the pack in a slow first lap (55+), could not "hang" with them at the end and finished 6th in 1:53.18. Thomas Matthys of Belgium was the winner in 1:50.98

Race 5 - The advantage of running in the last heat is that you know you can place 8th and still make it to the next round if you run fast enough (5 heats, top 2, and next fastest 6 times advance). So this was a fast race, controlled by Selahattin Cobanoglu of Turkey, who led from start to finish, passing 400 meters in 53.46. He ran 1:49.19 with places 2 and 3 also under 1:50.0

1500m - Semifinals

Semi 1 - Russell Brown (Stanford - Hanover, NH) ran an intelligent race and, were it not for some bumping with a little over a lap to go, would have been in the mix at the end. The pace was typical internationally: out fast, slow "way" down, then sprint to the finish. At 400 the split was 59.26, with Brown at 59.5. Brown passed the 800 at 2:02.9 and, after almost falling down with 430 to go, ran 3:05.5 for 1200 meters. He finished fifth in 3:49.02. The winner was Abdelati Iguider of Morocco in 3:43.96.

Semi 2 - Two future and current US collegians ran well here in a race won by Brimin Kipruto of Kenya (3:42.08). Second was Khamis Zaman Sultan of Qatar at 3:42.31. And third in 3:42.48 was Great Britain and Florida State's Thomas Lancashire who beat Michigan-bound Canadian Michael Woods by .01.

Semi 3 - Victor Gras of France and Belmont (MA) HS, after a slow first lap of 63.7, got back in the pack with a superb second lap of 57.6. It may have been a bit too much for him, though he ran 59.8 for lap 3. The pack pulled away from him and Gras finished in 7th in 3:51.96. David Torrence, the American (California) ran a terrific race and qualified for the final, running 3:46.60 for fourth. The winner was Mohamed Moustaoui of Morocco, running 3:45.43.

High Jump - Qualifying

Not a good day for Americans Norris Frederick and Matt Carter. Frederick jumped only 6-8.75 in Group A to finish 11th in his group. It took 6-10.75 to make the final as most cleared that or one height higher, 7-0.5. Matt Carter could manage only 6-4.75, finished 12th of 12 in Group B.

Long Jump - Qualifying

This was not the best of days for Norris Frederick. In fact, having two events in which to compete in one day is quite a task for a young man, even one as talented as Norris Frederick. Norris jumped 23-6.75, well below his best. The leaders were John Thornell of Australia at 25-5.5, Andrew Howe of Italy (25-2.75) and Godfrey Khotso Mokoena of South Africa (25-2).

Shot Put - Final

Americans Cory Martin and Justin Clickett did not have a good day. They finished in the bottom 2 spots in the field of 12. Martin threw 59-9.75 and Clickett was 5 inches behind Martin. The medallists were:

Georgi Ivanov Bulgaria 67-11
Jakub Giza Poland 65-9.5
Aleksandr Grekov Russia 65-6.75


 

Day 1 Morning - Women

100m - Round 1

Race 1 - The Jamaica tradition in sprinting excellence continues, with a win by Schillonie Calvet, running 11.79. Home town favorite Maria Aurora Salvagno of Italy was second in 11.94 and qualifies for the next round.

Race 2 - Wanda Hutson (Trinidad) was given a surprising run by Nigerian Seyi Omojuwa, with Hutson winning by .02 in 11.58.

Race 3 - Ashley Owens - no problem! She won by almost four tenths, with an easy 11.47 run. Cindy Stewart of South Africa.

Race 4 - Verena Sailer of Germany looked quite good with a fast 11.58 victory.

Race 5 - Jasmine Baldwin did not look especially sharp, struggling to finish second. The winner was World Youth hurdle champion Sally Mc Lellan of Australia, winning in 11.66 to Baldwin's 11.72.

Race 6 - Race favorite Wenshan Wang was edged by Pole Iwona Brzezinska with both running 11.77. Third was Jodi-Ann Powell of Jamaica, only .01 back.

400m - Round 1

Race 1 - Probably the easiest 52.61 Natasha Hastings (AP Randolph, New York, NY) has ever run. She led wire-to-wire. If she continues like this, sub-52.0 is within the realm of possibility.

Race 2 - Like Hastings, Ashlee Kidd (St. Petersburg, FL '03, Georgia Tech) controlled the race, though running almost a second slower at 53.56. She was pushed by Annemarie Schulte of the Netherlands, who set a National Junior Record of her country, running 53.67.

Race 3 - Sonita Sutherland of Jamaica, coming in with a 52.29 best, ran a smooth race, winning handily in 53.52. Canadian Carline Muir led a 200 meters, but faded over the last half of the race with Liliya Pilyuhina of the Ukraine closing well to take second.

Race 4 - A bit of a surprise here with Abigail David of Trinidad upsetting the favorite, Tang Xiaoyin. Xiaoyin had a seasonal best of 52.47, but could only manage 53.74 for third. David ran 53.48 with Russian Old Soldatova .06 back in second.

Triple Jump - Qualifying

Coincidentally, exactly 12 met the qualifying standard of 43-3.75 so the 12 "automatics" go to the final. The leader is Limei Xie of China, jumping 44-10.75. Erica McLain was the 11th of 12 qualifiers, jumping 43-7.75. Yvette Lewis did not have a good day, not making the "cut" jumping only 42-6.25 and finishing 15th.

Discus Qualifying

Group A - We'll have to wait until Group B is completed, but it looks like Missy Faubus (Centennial HS, Bakersfield, CA) will not make it to the final. Her 155-9 throw left her in 8th place for this group, with another group (B) to go. (She threw 135-3 and fouled on her other attempts). Here are the auto qualifiers (having thrown 169-7 to automatically qualify):

Darya Pishchalnikova Russia 183-7
Xuejin Ma China 177-6
Nadine Muller Germany 175-6

Group B - Surprisingly, Faubus' mark held up. But Lindsay Grigoriev, though finishing fifth in her group, did not make it to the finals. She threw a series of 152-10 and 152-11, with a foul in between. The automatic qualifier here is Yu Wang of China, throwing 176-7.

 

Men

100m - Round 1

Race 1 - Ivory Williams (Central HS, Beaumont, TX) looked great in winning the first heat in round 1. Having a great start, he eased to a 10.41 win, decelerating over the last 5 meters.

Race 2 - It was expected to be a race between Uzodima Alozie (Nigeria) and Moroni Rubio (Mexico). But there was really no contest as Alozie won in 10.53 with Rubio third (10.78). Australian Jacob Groth was second in 10.61 to qualify automatically.

Race 3 - Demi Omole, in lane 8, got off to a good start and cruised to a 10.45 win. Yahya Ibrahim Hassan, one lane to Omole's left was second in 10.63.

Race 4 - Renaldo Rose (Jamaica) coming in with a best of 10.33, won this race after 2 false starts and the disqualification of a Moroccan runner. His victory was very much in doubt until the last 20 meters, when he accelerated to the front, running a lackluster 10.67.

Race 5 - Efthimio Steryioulis of Greece lived up to his "heat favorite" role. Entering the event with a 10.33 pb, he won in 10.59. Andre Wellington of Jamaica, in lane 8, was second in 10.56.

Race 6 - Another favorite won his heat - Leon Baptiste of Great Britain, coming in with a 10.32 best, won this heat in 10.53, edging Bahamian Grafton Ifill by .01.

Race 7 - More of the same: one of the favorites for a medal, Leigh Julius of South Africa had an easy win at 10.53. He has a 10.32 best.

Race 8 - Whoa! Who's he? A waltz at 10.42 for Yahya Al-Gahes of Saudi Arabia. Apparently he is the same Al-Gahes who won the World Youth 100 meters last year. Winning easily in 10.42, he will give the Americans "all they want" in the coming rounds.

Race 9 - A very nice race from wire to wire for Antiguan Daniel Bailey, winning easily in 10.45 (-0.7).

400m - Round 1

Race 1 - Wow! Keith Hinnant (Bay Shore, NY) surprised some folks with an easy 46.54, bettering his Golden West prior best of 46.58. He had a good start and simply worked himself into the lead at the 300 meter mark. Favorites were Chris Gebhardt (South Africa - 46.50 PB) and Renny Quow (Trinidad - 46.60 PB), but Hinnant made them struggle. Quow was never in it, finishing third (47.19), with Andres Rodrigez (Panama) getting a PB in 47.02 to finish second.

Race 2 - Another Wow! World Youth Champion Nagmeldin Ali Abubakr of the Sudan showed why his 45.22 PB is no "fluke". Though he did not run especially fast (46.68) to win his heat, he was quite impressive running virtually alone from lane 7.

Race 3 - Three came into the race with PB's in the 46's and none of them ran true to form. Maksim Aleksandrenko (Russia) won in 47.47. The favorite, Nigerias Udomsinachi Erete was "never in the race", running only 48.70 (fourth), about 2.5 seconds off his best.

Race 4 - Running in lane 7, La Shawn Merritt (Wilson HS, Portsmouth, VA) had no one to "key" on, so he had to run his own race. He ran his usual strong opening 200 meters and began to coast down the homestretch, looking over his left shoulder often to see how the competition was doing. He finished, decelerating significantly, running 46.

Race 5 - Turk Serdar Tamac got his nation's Junior record, winning in 47.14, edging Sri Lanka's Manoj Pushpa Kumara by .02.

Race 6 - A very impressive race by Russian Valentin Kruglyakov, coming close to his PR of 46.36 with a 46.48 win. Richard Buck of Great Britain PR'd with 47.00 for second.

Race 7 - Croatian Zeljko Vincek, with a 46.13 best was stuck in lane 8. In the middle of the track was Obakeng Ngiwigwa of Botswana, who decided to run a National Junior Record of 46.92 to win. All were out of Vincek's view until the homestretch, when he made a move to go from fourth to second, running 47.68.

Shot Put - Qualifying

Both Americans made it though to the final. Cory Martin finished ninth overall with a toss of 61-4, and Justin Clickett twelfth at 60-8. (The implement used is the new junior shot, weighing 12 pounds). The leader going into the final is the Iranian Seyed Mahdi Shahrokhi at 64-10.75. Two others are over 19 meters (62-4): Georgi Ivanov (Bulgaria), 64-5.25 and Aleksandr Grekov of Russia at 62-5).

 

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