Team USA named for 2003 World Youth Championships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Melvin Jackson II, Communications Coordinator, USA Track & Field
(317) 261-0478 x322 - [email protected]

INDIANAPOLIS 6/26/03 - More than 60 of the top young track and field athletes in the United States will head to Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada July 9-13 for the third IAAF World Youth Championships in Athletics. The competition features athletes ages 15-17 from more than 100 nations.

Team USA dominated the medal table at the 2001 World Youth meet in Debrecen, Hungary, and looks set to field another powerful team in Canada. The U.S. won 15 total medals, five gold, in Debrecen to top the table ahead of runners-up Kenya, who won 10 total medals.

"We had a great showing in Hungary two years ago," said USA Track & Field Youth chair Bob Flint. "It is going to be exciting to see how this new group of kids handles the pressure of international competition. What our athletes lack in experience, they make up in talent and motivation."

Several Team USA athletes lead the world youth rankings heading into the championships. High jumper Jaron van Maanen (Sally, Iowa) has cleared 7-2 this year to top the world list, while Natasha Hastings (Rosedale, NY) heads the women's 400 list at 52.09. Other world leaders are Pa'Vielle James (Miami, Fla.) in the 100-meter hurdles at 13.69 and Krystin Lacy (Dallas, Texas), who has clocked 11.44 to lead the 100m list.

Texas state 110-meter hurdles champion Jason Richardson (Cedar Hill, Texas) will also be favored in his specialty after turning in a nation-leading time of 13.51 in May. The international youth hurdles are 36 inches high, while Richardson set his season best over 39-inch barriers.

Another Texan, D'Andra Carter (Ovilla) will be following in the family footsteps in the throws. Older sister Michelle won silver in the shot put at the 2001 championships and set a U.S. prep record this year. D'Andra will compete in the discus in Sherbrooke. Their father, Michael, was also a bit of an athlete, as his men's national high school record in the shot put has stood for almost 25 years. After starring at SMU in football and track and winning a silver medal at the 1984 Olympics, he went on to a stellar career with the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL.

Other notable U.S. entrants include Michael Grant (Stone Mountain, Ga.), who is making his second appearance at the championships after winning silver in the 200 in Debrecen, and Oregon distance runner Galen Rupp (Portland), who is ranked third in the 3000 meters on the world youth list and trains under legendary marathoner Alberto Salazar.

Head coach for this year’s team is Hali Robinson of Columbus, Ohio. Here's a look at the U.S. team:

2003 IAAF WORLD YOUTH TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 9-13 * Sherbrooke, Canada

USA Team Roster

Name Event(s) City, State

OJ Murdock 100/Relay Pool Tampa, FL

Jay Cooper 100/200/Relay Pool Tulsa, OK

Michael Grant Relay Pool/100 Alt. Stone Mountain, GA

Lionel Larry 200/Relay Pool Compton, CA

Cedric Goodman 400/Relay Pool Newman, GA

Jarrith Jones 400/Relay Pool Marrero, LA

Michael Haddan 800/1500 Alt. Irvine, CA

Christopher Woods 800 Covington, GA

Michael Webley 1500m Farrockaway, NY

Cody Harper 1500m/800m Alt. Albuquerque, NM

Galen Rupp 3000m Portland, OR

Ben DeLay Steeplechase Bellevue, NE

Andres Urbina Steeplechase Albuquerque, NM

Zach Pollinger 10,000m Race Walk Mahwah, NJ

Jason Richardson 110m Hurdles/400m Hurdles Cedar Hill, TX

Kevin Craddock 110m Hurdles San Pablo, CA

Jamaal Charles 400m Hurdles Port Arthur, TX

Jaron Van Maanen High Jump Sally, IA

Gordon Smith High Jump Rocky Mount, NC

Mitch Greeley Pole Vault Rock Hill, SC

Scott Duckworth Pole Vault The Woodlands, TX

Angelo Jeffrey Triple Jump Union City, CA

Frankie Gatson Triple Jump Shreveport, LA

Luke Johnson Shot Put Amarillo, TX

Nick Panezich Shot Put/Discus Alt. Poland, OH

Kyle Hammerquist Discus Throw Berkeley, CA

Eddie Cornell Discus Throw Ridgecrest, CA

Cody Fillinch Javelin Throw Golden Meadow, LA

Chad Brown Javelin Throw Lake Charles, LA

Adam Fretwell Octathlon Houston, TX

Zach Midles Hammer Throw Olympia, WA

Jimmy Tarro Hammer Throw Coventry, RI

Krystin Lacy 100m Pool/Relay Pool Dallas, TX

Jessica Onyepunuka 100mPool/Relay Pool Peoria, AZ

Cleo Tyson 200m/100m Alt. Huntsville, TX

Courtney Champion 200m Lawrenceville, GA

Alexandria Anderson Relay Pool/200m Alt. Chicago, IL

Natasha Hastings 400m/Relay Pool Rosedale, NY

Brandi Cross 400m/Relay Pool Missouri City, TX

Lauren Austin 400m/Relay Pool Oviedo, FL

Trisa Nickoley 800m Tecumseh, KS

Selena Sappleton 800m Bronx, NY

Chantelle Dron 1500m Candia, NH

Maria Michta 5000m Race Walk Nesconset, NY

Pavielle James 100m Hurdles Miami, FL

Dominique Manning 100m Hurdles Riverside, CA

Nicole Leach 400m Hurdles Philadelphia, PA

MacKenzie Hill 400m Hurdles Long Beach, CA

Desirae Gonder High Jump Bakersfield, CA

Toni Aluko High Jump Burtonsville, MD

Jessica Trujillo Pole Vault Arlington, TX

Jodie Mayes Pole Vault Alt. Fayetteville, AR

Tori Allen Pole Vault Alt. Indianapolis, IN

Erica McLain Long Jump/Triple Jump Plano, TX

DeAna Carson Long Jump Moreno Valley, CA

Brittany Daniels Triple Jump Tracy, CA

Misti Barber Shot Put/Discus Throw Miami, FL

Michaela Wallerstedt Shot Put Omaha, NE

D’Andra Carter Discus Throw Ovilla, TX

Alondra Cooper Heptathlon West Palm Beach, FL

Gayle Hunter Heptathlon Riverside, CA

Erin Donnelly Hammer Throw Barrington, RI

Updated June 25, 2003