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2008 IAAF World Junior
Championships

July 8-13, 2008 - Bydgoszcz, Poland


Men's Track Event Preview
by Mike Kennedy

(Editor's note: Since this report was written, we have received unoffical roster information that indicates the following changes in the men's running events:
Zachary Mellon (800), Nectalay Barbosa (1,500), Mikel Thomas (3000sc), Oscar Spurlock (110 HH) finished in top two and were qualified but were not on team due to lack of passport or personal choice.

Dante Holmes (Delaware St.) replaces Mellon in 800; Duncan Phillips (Arkansas) replaces Barbosa in 1,500; Dylan Knight (UCLA) replaces Thomas in 1,500, Ron Brookins (Sacramento St.) replaces Spurlock in 110 HH.

Gil Roberts (Texas Tech) and Brian Miller (Texas A&M) 4 x 400 relay adds; Justin Murdock (Meade, Ft. Meade, Md.), Ryan Bailey (Oregon) and Dante Sales (unat) 4 x 100 relay adds).

Nine years ago the city of Bydgoszcz, Poland, hosted the First IAAF World Youth championships. This year, the best young athletes in the world will again gather in this quaint city for the 12th IAAF World Junior Championships. The meet will be at the same location but the facilities have been completely redone with a state of the art track and a stadium that can seat 23,000.

The U.S. team, which has not been announced as of July 2, will be much like previous teams—strong in the sprints, hurdles and relays, with a smattering of outstanding athletes in the distances and field events.

A world of caution is necessary. Although the U.S. team has not been announced, most of the athletes mentioned should be in attendance unless there were passport problems. Unfortunately, since the IAAF does not issue or post a list of entrants (which were due about the 24th of June) until right before the competition begins, it is very difficult to get an exact overview of the events.

Although some teams were available on the IAAF site and on the internet, the exact make up of most teams is not widely known, and therefore more then a little guess work, especially from Africa and Asia, is involved. Having said that, here is a look at each event where the U.S. has entrants, and how they are likely to measure up to the competition.


100 Meters

United States entrants Terrell Wilks of Florida and Antonio Sales of South Carolina, have an excellent chance to advance to the finals, but it will not be easy given the depth of the Caribbean teams (especially Jamaica) and a number of outstanding individuals.

Wilks, who won the U.S. Junior championships with a person best of 10.19, was seventh in the Southeastern Conference finals and advanced to the NCAA semifinals. Sales had a best of just 10.60 in March and was eliminated in the Southeastern Conference heats before dropping his personal best to 10.33 in finishing second at the Junior nationals.

At this time, the make up of the Jamaican team is known, but who will be running which events is not known. . The most likely choices are Johan Blake, who has run 10.27, and Dexter Lee, who won the 2007 World Youth championships in 10.51 and this year's Jamaican World Junior trials at 10.36. Other possible finalists include, Wilhelm van der Vyer of South Africa (10.30), Kendall Bacchus of Trinidad (10.32), Christophe Lemaitre of France (10.38) and Daniele Greco of Italy (10.38).

The world leaders are Jeffrey Demps of the U.S., who just set a national high school record of 10.01 in the Olympic Trials, and Daniel Bailey of Australia, who finished fifth in Usian Bolt’s world record run of 9.72 in May in New York City. Demps passed the U.S. Junior meet and Bailey is not likely to be in Poland.

200 Meters

Sales, showing that his improvement in the 100 was no accident, won the Junior meet with a personal best of 20.94. Prior to that he had finished sixth in the Southeastern Conference. The runner up was Curtis Mitchell (Southwestern CC, Chula Vista, Ca.), a bit of an unknown even in California. Prior to winning the State Community College 100 and 200 titles, at 10.23w and 20.91 respectively, he was a Florida prep with a best of just 21.62 that did not advance him out of the State regionals.

Jamaica is most likely to enter Ramone McKenzie and Nickel Ashmeade. Last year McKenzie won the World Youth championships in 20.67 and this year he has run 20.33w (+5.2) to win the Carifta Games. He has a legal best of 20.69. Ashmeade was third at the 2007 World Youth championships in 20.76 and has 2008 bests of 20.16w, in beating McKenzie, and 20.80.

Saudi Arabia has enjoyed a good degree of sprint success in the World Youth and Junior championships in the past, and Ismail Al-Sabani is in an excellent position to continue this trend. Al-Sabani, who has much more experience in the 400, won the Gulf championships in 20.68, the second best Junior time in the world this year. Saudi Arabia is also likely to enter Patrick Vosloo, who has a best of 20.90A.

Robert Hering of Germany had a best of 20.96 in the European juniors in 2007, and seemed stuck around 21.00 until two weeks ago when he ran 20.78. Alonso Edwards of Panama and Christophe Lemaitre of France both have bests of 20.97. World leader Brandon O’Connor of Southridge High in Miami (Fl.), at 20.68, chose not to compete.

400 Meters

O’Neal Wilder (Mississippi St.), the World Junior leader at 45.54 in finishing second in the Southeastern Conference meet, won the U.S. Junior meet in 46.52 and also advanced to the NCAA semifinals. His best high school time was just 47.85 in winning the State 3A meet for Pearl (Ms.).

Marcus Boyd was second at the Texas State 5A meet in 2007 with a best of 46.81 before moving on to Baylor where he placed fifth in the Big 12 Conference meet and then set a personal best of 46.02 in finishing second in the Junior meet.

Niklas Zender of Germany was just sixth in the World Youth championships in 2007 at 48.04, but his 46.18 in June is now the fastest non-U.S. runner in the meet. Teammate Pascal Nabow could also be a factor at 46.53.

Ismail Al-Sabani of Saudi Arabia won the Gulf championships in 46.84 and then dropped that time to 46.33 in winning the Asian championships. Kurt Mulcahy of Australia has run 46.47 in his national championship, but in 2007 he had a best of 46.03. Vladimir Krasnov of Russia was third at the World Youth championships in 2007 at 47.03 but has dropped his best to 46.55 in 2008.

800 Meters

Abdubaker Kaki of Sudan has a decision to make (or his federation does). Should the new World Junior record holder at 1:42.69, in winning the Bislet Games, use the World Junior championships as a tune-up or just go directly to Beijing and a possible spot in the Olympic final. Already passing up the meet are Asbel Kiprop of Kenya at 1:44.99 and Sebastian Keiner of Germany at 1:45.98, and probably Andre Olivier of South Africa at 1:46.85

If all of the above takes place, included Kaki passing on the Junior meet, that should make for a very competitive event even allowing for the inevitable African surprises. Elijah Greer of Lake Oswego High in Oregon won the U.S. Junior meet with a personal best of 1:47.68 to move into fourth place on the all-time high school list. Zachary Mellon of Buffalo High in Minnesota was second in the Junior meet at 1:48.64 to become the 20th best prep performer of all-time.

Giordano Benedetti of Italy is another athlete who has made great strides after reaching just the European Junior semifinal in 2007 and clocking a best of 1:50.71. This year he won his country's Junior championships in 1:48.85. Prior to that he set a personal best of 1:47.52.

James Kaan of Australia, sixth in the World Youth championships in 2007 with a 1:51.06, set a personal best of 1:47.62 in finishing third in a 2008 Grand Prix event in Australia. Diomar de Souza of Brazil at 1:47.79, David Bustos of Spain at 1:47. 84 and Raidel Acea of Cuba at 1:47.9, all could contend for a spot in the final. Ali- Saad Al-Daran of Saudi Arabia, who was third at the 2007 World Youth meet in 1:50.10, has run 1:48.06 in the 2008 Doha Grand Prix meet. Geoffrey Kibet, at 1:49.7, and Felix Konchellah, at 1:49.0, will represent Kenya.

1,500 Meters

Like the 800, until the final list of declarations is known it is tough to evaluate the level of competition. Of the seven top Junior runners in the world at 3:41.09 or faster, all are from Africa and if the past is any indication, most if not all will not be in attendance.

The team from Kenya has been announced as Frederik Musyoki at 3:42.0 and James Magut at 3:42.3, the one-two finishers in the qualifying meet. Josephat Kithil of Kenya, who was second in the World Youth championships at 3:44.68 and has run 3:41.09 this year, was not on the team released by the federation.

All of this means that Evan Jager of Wisconsin, who was eighth in the NCAA final at 3:43.26 and ran a personal best of 3:41.24 at the Jordan meet at Stanford, will be in the hunt for a place in the final. Nectaly Barbosa of Arizona St. reached the semifinals of the NCAA 800, where he ran a personal best of 1:48.27.

In addition to the surprises that the Africans could provide, David Forrester of Britain, Osman Yahya of Sudan and Femoy Campbell of Jamaica are all threats to make the final. Forrester has a best of 3:41.6 but in what might be an indication of his sprinting ability he won the Junior championships in 4:12.99 (yes that was for 1,500 and not a mile). Yahya, a former steeplechaser, has a best of 3:42.11, and Campbell set a national junior record of 3:52.57 in June.

5,000 Meters

The top sixteen junior runners in the world have run under 13:40 and all of them are from Africa. The leader is Abreham Cherkos of Ethiopia at 12:57.56. Thirteen are from Kenya or Ethiopia and none are likely to be in Poland. Kenya’s qualifiers from their trials are Matthew Kisorio at 13:38.6 and Vincent Yator at 13:44.1.

Non-African possible entrants include Ryuji Kashiwabara and Akinobu Murasawa, both of Japan, at 13.58.28 and 13:58.73, respectively, and Li Zicheng and Jiang Bing, both from China, at 13:59.10 and 14:02.12, respectively.

Matt Centrowitz of Oregon won the Junior nationals at 14:44.67 and qualified based on his 3,000 indoor time of 8:13.19, while runner-up Ryan Collins of University of Virginia (14:46.50) qualified with a 14:12.85 from the Penn Relays.

10,000 Meters

For once Kenya will be sending two of their top Junior runners in Josphat Batt, at 28:18.0, and Titus Mbishei, at 28:18.3, ranked No. 5 and 6 in the world.. Li Zicheng of China, who is a possibility in the 5,000, could also be here with his 28:46.03, along with teammate Zhao Bing at 29:07.39.

The U.S. will be represented by Dan Dunbar of (Southern Illinois) and Donn Cabral of Glastonbury High in Connecticut, who ran personal bests of 30:34.09 and 30:50.28, respectively, in the U.S. Junior meet.

3,000-Meter Steeplechase

At this time it appears that Kenya will send its top two junior steeplechasers, which in most years would mean-- given that country's history-- a sub 8:15.0 could well be in the cards. That could still happen, but if it does, Patrick Tater at 8:29.1 and 8:29.8 will have to improve. The top two juniors in the world, Benjamin Kiplaget of Uganda, at 8:14.29, and Nahom Mesfin Tariku of Ethiopia, at 8:14.68, almost surely will not be in attendance.

It is a little more likely that Legese Lamiso of Ethiopia, the 2007 World Youth 2,000-meter steeplechase champion in 5:30.81 with a 2008 best of 8:30.39, will toe the line. Abdelghani Ait Bahmad of Morocco, who has a best of 8:27.56 in 2008, could also be entered given the fact he was third in the 2006 World Junior championships with a 8:20.05.

Hometown favorite Krystian Zalewski, who has run 8:49.42 this year and finished seventh in the European championships in 2007, should guarantee a great deal of fan involvement. Others to watch for are Majed Saleh Bashir of Bahrain, the Asian champion with a best of 8:43.69, Sebastian Martos of Spain at 8:55.11 and Frenchmen Abdelatif Hadjam, at 8:54.63, and Steven Jardin at 8:59.49.

So what about the U.S.? Curtis Carr of BYU and Mikel Thomas of Nebraska, were one-two at the U.S. Junior nationals with personal bests of 8:55.64 and 8:58.67, respectively, and could both make the final. The two have similar backgrounds. Last year in high school, Carr ran 4:12.00 for 1,600 meters and Thomas ran 4:14.9 for 1,600 and clocked 9:08.34 for 3,200.

110-Meter High Hurdles (39 inches)

Booker Nunley of Garner High in North Carolina was the National Junior champion in 13.40, despite having to run as an unattached athlete when a mix-up of the number of credits he was taking resulted in his ineligibility for the high school season. Running over the 42-inch international height hurdles, where he had a personal best of 13.91, might have helped him work on his technique. Last year his personal best over the high school 39 inch hurdles was 13.88.

Joining Nunley on the U.S. team is Oscar Spurlock of Southern California, who just edged Ronald Brookins of Sacramento St., 13.801 to 13.807. Spurlock set a personal best of 14.01 over the 42-inch hurdles in finishing fourth in the USC-UCLA dual meet and later placed sixth in the Pacific 10 at 14.04. He set a seasonal best of 13.72 over the 39-inch hurdles in the semifinals of the Junior championships. Last year as a high schooler he had a best of 13.72 and win the Texas State 5A title with a 13.73.

Nunley’s time ranks behind just Yohany Portilla of Cuba at 13.30 and Konstantin Shabanov of Russia at 13.32 on the yearly world Junior list. Portilla has just two FAT times this year but has seven hand-times between 13.1 and 13.3, all in Havana. It is good to keep in mind that money is a very valued commodity in Cuba and the federation only sends athletes to Youth and Junior championships that they feel have an excellent chance of winning a medal.

Shabanov, whose best of 13.40 set a national junior record and came in the Russian Junior championships, has a genetic advantage. His father, Georgiy, was a 13.71 hurdler in the 1980s. Aleksey Dryomin was second to Shabanov in the their trials, with a personal best of 13.50. Jamaican Kieron Stewart set a national record of 13.49 over the 39-inch hurdles in finishing second in the 2007 Carifta Games and then won this year's Island Games in New York City with a wind-aided 13.39.

400-Meter Intermediate Hurdles

This is the strongest one-two U.S. entry at the World Junior championships. Johnny Dutch of South Carolina, at 48.52, and Jeshua Anderson of Washington St., at 48.69, are the top two Junior hurdlers in the world.

Anderson, who last year set a national high school 300H record of 35.28 while at Taft High in Woodland Hills, Ca., was the 2008 NCAA champion with his personal best, and then defeated Dutch at the Junior nationals, 49.28 to 49.79. Anderson also was the Pacific 10 champion and the NCAA West Regional champion. Dutch was second in the Southeastern Conference with his personal best, and then passed on the NCAA. Both were at the Olympic Trials where Dutch made the final, finishing fifth in a personal best of 48.52, and Anderson was eliminated in the semifinals.

Jamaican’s Kieron Stewart and Andre Peart are the next two fastest hurdlers going to Poland. Kieron won the Jamaican high school championships in 50.29 and Peart was second at 50.44. South Africa has a long history in this event, dating back to the 1950’s when Gert Potgeiter ran a world record of 49.7 for 440-yards. Cornel Fredericks at 50.87 and P.C. Beneke at 50.96 will carry the South African colors.

The Relays

It would not be a great surprise if both the United States and Jamaica earned medals in both the 4 x 100 and the 4 x 400 relay. Jamaica has the edge in the short relay with a very deep sprint corps, and should run in the low 38 seconds. The U.S. will probably have to contend with Trinidad, Bahamas, France, South Africa and Saudi Arabia, among others, for the minor medals. Given the depth of the U.S. 4 x 400 team, it is not unrealistic to think it might be able to run under 3:02.0. Jamaica, Germany, Australia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Britain all have the talent to make this a very close competition.

10-Kilometer Walk
The U.S. had no qualifiers.





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