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California's History at the World |
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History of Californians in the World Youth (Under
age 18)
Over the last decade, starting in 1999, every other year (1999-2001-2003-2005 and 2007) there has been a World Youth (under 18) Championship in the sport of Track and Field. From an idea in the 1990's from the IAAF, the world governing body of the sport, it has grown into an important entity in the overall scheme of the sport up through the senior level Olympic Games and World Championship competitions, with a number of senior level stars, such as Allyson Felix, having their serious start in the sport internationally at the World Youth Meet. There is impressive talent from all corners of the globe, with the Youth Championship meet steadily improving in quality as young stars from different areas are exposed to the best in other parts of the world, with the lessons learned in tough international competition and an often foreign event setting invaluable in career development. The resultant raising in the standard up through the Junior and Senior levels is obvious as the best young athletes are tested, and respond with championship level performances, or are forced to go back to the training ‘drawing-board’ with a new determination to compete at the standard of a World Championship, as opposed to some local and obviously less rigorous level to compare themselves with. Selection for the team has been an interesting process, and so far it has been the only World Championship level competition for a US group sponsored by USA Track & Field, the national governing body, that does not have a same year qualifying meet. What has been done since the start is that eligible participants (who will not turn 18 the year of the meet, the international definition of a “youth” competitor) must compete in a USATF JO competition the previous (meaning a full year before) campaign to be considered for a spot. This creates interesting situations, as with the late development of some young athletes, it ignores those who improve a great deal the year of the Championships or those, for some reason such as injury, summer school needs, or non-participation, are not in a USATF JO competition the full year previous to the meet. This situation is becoming glaring in its inability to secure our best team for the World Youth Meet, with eligible athletes such as Rynell Parson, a Texan, who set a World Youth Record of 10.23 in the 100m at the 2007 US Junior National Championships this June, and would have been the overwhelming favorite for the Gold Medal at the 2007 World Youth Meet, was not allowed to go with the team, as his Club attended the AAU JO’s the previous 2006 summer, and not the USATF JO’s. Athletes who were injured during the summer of 2006, like 13.03 Mt. Pleasant hurdler, Vashti Thomas, could not be accepted for the team, and she would have been another who would be favored for a Gold Medal. Anyway, something will probably eventually change with this situation, but if you wish to make the 2009 World Youth squad, meaning you have a birth year of 1992 or later, you probably need to plan on participation in the 2008 USATF JO program somewhere along the way. The US tradition is to settle qualifying for US International squads "on the track" and it is hoped that this will be a situation that can be arrived at soon, so that we can send our squad that will be potentially the most successful. California has a fine history in these World Youth Games, and with the fifth one just under our belt in 2007, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at these competitions and trace Golden State History in the competition. 1999 - Bydgoszcz Poland
CALIFORNIANS: A small California contingent competed in the first World Youth affair in Bydgoszcz, Poland, a pleasant town about an hour by bus outside of Warsaw. Monique Henderson, the graceful, powerful star from Morse HS in San Diego was the female meet headliner of the competition, with some fine results all over the facility from a number of athletes, but her win in a close 400 meter final, and anchor of the Medley Relay (100-200-300-400) winners, where she powered from behind to pass the leading local Polish squad on the way to a gold medal there setting her up as the “queen of the meet!” Three rounds in a 400 event was something new to Henderson, with that setting creating an interesting build to a final where athletes from around the world look so impressive leading to a crescendo in the championship final. Our summary of the 400 Final, won by Henderson,
with quotes: Our Race Summary plus quotes: The IAAF and locals kind of took Henderson to heart as the star of the meet, with the ‘bigger than life’ sense that Monique always brought to her running shining those days of the competition in Poland brighter than any other female in the affair. Travon Walton, from Chino HS, and James Lott, from King’s Christian in Lemoore, added to the Gold Medal haul, with a spot on the winning US Medley Relay (100-200-300-400). Walton was sixth place in the 400 meter flat event 47.92 (48.34 and 48.03 first two rounds) earlier in the afternoon on the final day. Lott competed in the Long Jump as an individual, and was a non-qualifier for the Finals with a 22-05.75 effort. Lott led off the Finals Medley Relay group with a 100 meter leg, with Walton, a 2000 yard rusher for the Chino HS football squad that year, running the third leg on the US medley squad, stretching the US lead from a couple to over a dozen meters during his 300 meter leg. Ivory McCann from Texas brought the US home for Gold at 1:51.29. Our Race Sum: 2001 - Debrecen Germany
CALIFORNIANS: The 2001 World Youth Affair in Germany was a Golden State female “Dash-Fest,” with California favorites Angel Perkins (Gahr, Cerritos), Allyson Felix (LA Baptist, North Hills), and Ashley Lodree (El Cerrito) heading home with gold medals. Perkins was named the outstanding female performer of the meet for her 200 and sprint medley, with Felix starting the meet off early in the week with a big 100 meter win and share of the sprint medley (100-200-300-400) Gold. Lodree was second in the 100 meter hurdles and led off the relay title team for a Gold and Silver to show for her efforts. Perkins was a junior the 2000-2001 school year, with Felix and Lodree sophs during that period. Angel had a torrid series of competitions with Monique Henderson, the Morse hero of the 1999 World Youth competition, with Monique still having the #2 Prep All-time 400 at 50.74 from 2000, with Angel here at the end of a long competition (three 200 rounds and a prelim race in the medley relay) at Debrecen racing her prep all-time best 23.07 for the half lap, marking her at the time as among the top ten preps ever, and a big win over Britain’s Amy Spencer (23.45 second) as the duo had dominated 200m qualifying. Angel’s efforts were summarized in a USATF
Release from the competition: Felix’s 100m win early in the week had the competition off to a fine start for the US squad, with that second day’s USATF summary giving a sense of the San Fernando Valley area’s star “momentum-building” short sprint win for the American squad. Allyson Felix kicked off a record-setting
day for Team USA at the World Youth Championships Friday, winning
the first gold medal of the meet with an 11.57 in the 100 meters.
American
athletes won six medals, including two silvers and three bronzes
to dominate the day's competition at this second edition
of the meet that brings together the finest 15-17 year old athletes
in the world. American male sprinters went 2-3 that day in the 100, with Lodree picking up her silver in the 100 meter hurdles, and Michelle Sanford (Woodbridge, Irvine) a surprise bronze triple jump medal with a huge 43-04.5, a shocking two foot improvement. At the time Sanford’s jump made her the #3 US Prep ever! Sanford qualified for the Finals of the Long Jump, with an 18-10.5 effort in the trials, and was eleventh in the finals at 17-07.75. 2003 - Sherbrooke
CALIFORNIANS Finalists galore and fine performances right and left marked Golden State efforts in the 2003 World Youth Championships in Sherbrooke, Canada. North HS of Riverside’s hurdle star of that era, Dominique Manning, started local medal action early in the week with a fine bronze award earning 13.60 100m hurdles run over the 30" barriers used at these championships for a bronze medal. Manning led for a time in the Finals event, with the Inland Empire star prefacing her finals run with super qualifying rounds, with Mike Kennedy summarizing those: Heat - Domenique Manning of J.W. North (Riverside, Ca.) entered the meet with no time since she was running over the 30 inch hurdles for the first time (regular high school height for the 100 hurdles is 33 inches) but she quickly rectified have no time with a scintillating 13.50 to move into second on the yearly world youth division list. Although leading all the way she was pressed by Eline Berings of Belgium at 13.63 and Azusa Ichiki of Japan in 13.87. Semi’s - It was like watching a mirror image to see Domenique Manning and Eline Berings running step for step and stride the entire race with neither athlete ever have more than one or two inches of advantage. In the end Berings was declared the winner, 13.24 to 13.35. How good is Manning’s time over the 30-inch hurdles? Although the event is now rarely run at the high school level, where 33 inches is the norm, it once was. Yolanda Johnson (Washington, Denver) at 13.06 A,Candy Young (Beaver Falls, Pa.) at 13.30 and Janeene Vickers (Pomona, Ca.) at 13.34 are the only runner in front of her and who did Manning replace as No. 4 on the all time list? Wilson HS of Long Beach star MacKenzie Hill book-ended the female hurdlers’ efforts with a another third place medal winning run, hers in the 400 meter hurdles 59.15 run later in the week. Mike Kennedy once again detailed a fine finals run for DyeStatCal: Mackenzie Hill (Wilson, Long Beach, Ca.) was out fastest with Katya Kostetskaya, who attends Jonesboro High School in Ark. and is representing Russia, was two strides behind in second and world leader Zuzana Hejnova of Czech Republic was a close third. Hill began to slow around the second turn and by the eight hurdle Hejnova had drawn almost even with Kostetskaya. The two passed Hill and were dead even over the ninth hurdle and with Hejnova beginning to gain a very small advantage, Kostetskaya barely clipped the tenth hurdle but is slow her momentum just enough to give Hejnova the win in a championship meet record and world leading 57.544. Kostetskaya was second in 58.37 and Hill was a solid third in 59.15. Nicole Leach of West Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) was never in contention for a medal and finished seventh at 60.80. Kevin Craddock (Logan, Union City) and Brittany Daniels (Merrill West, Tracy) both were part of great groups in the Hurldes and horizontal jumps. The Logan hurdles star had meet headliner Jason Richardson (Texas) blast 13.29 over the 36" High Hurdles used here for the win, with the Californian finish fifth in 13.87, a fine effort. Mike Kennedy described the Finals run: Brittany Daniels was part of a super Triple Jump group, with the event maturing world-wide, with a stunning 45-05.75 winning effort by Romania’s Cristine Spataru Cristine, with Daniels fifth at 42-01.75 in a win over American rival Erica McLain 41-09.75 (seventh place). It was a super event, with Mike Kennedy’s
summary: Gayle Hunter, another North HS of Riverside star, had fine Heptathlon, finishing sixth in a fine international field, with only the use of the 30" hurdles here instead of 33" stopping her from totalling one of US Prep History’s top scores ever! Gayle had a super meet with USATF and Mike Kennedy summarizing:
1) 100H - Hunter won her heat (14.01 into headwind of -0.6)
2) HJ - Hunter clears 5-5.25 and is 3rd overall with 1783 points.
3) SP - Hunter 30-3; 9th place overall with 2262 points. 4) 200
- Hunter moved up to 6th overall with 3126 points after winning
her heat in 25.25 -2.6. Day 2 1) LJ - Hunter leaped 19-5 1/4 for
the best jump of the competition to give her 825 points and a five-event
total of 3,951 points that moved her into fourth place. 2) Jav
- Hunter’s throw of 108-8 was worth was worth 536 points
and left her in fourth place with a total of 4,487 with one event
remaining. Lionel Larry (Dominguez HS, Compton) ran the 200 and was a first round qualifier to the semi-finals, and he ran on the Medley Relay (100-200-300-400). He ran in the Relay Trials, where the US finished second behind Poland and easily advanced to the final with a 1:54.75 clocking. Poland beat the U.S. two years ago in Hungary, setting up tomorrow's revenge match in the final. Larry had some hamstring soreness and missed the 200 semi’s and Relay finals, but took home a Gold Medal for his trials help to the squad. Michael Haddad (Woodbridge, Irvine) ran heady Trials and Semi-Finals 800 meter heats (yes three rounds here over the two lap event!), racing 1:53.39 and 1:53.35 before ending up eighth in the Finals. Kyle Hammerquist (Webb School, Claremont) was a Finalist in the Discus, with a 186-04 opener there that had him in sixth, with 189-00 in round three to sit seventh going into the final three thorws. He had another 184-11,with his best here with the 1.5 junior weight implement comparing nicely to his yearly prep best with the 1.62 kilo US HS implement of 186-05. Eddie Cornell (Burroughs, Ridgecrest) was a non-qualifier for the finals at 163-05. Angelo Jeffrey (Logan, Union City) just missed making the Finals of the Triple Jump with a 48-00.25 effort, with DeAna Carson (Wilson, Long Beach) a 17-11.75 non-qualifier in the Long Jump. 2005 Marrakech, Morocco CALIFORNIANS The 2005 competition in Morocco was a dynamite one for the California troops in attendance! How about an World Champ All-California relay squad or World Youth Record by Golden Staters during the week? This competition marked a sharp reduction in the size of the US Team attending, with thirty-two total at the competition this year, as opposed to sixty athletes at the 2003 meet. Sadly, the US Olympic Committee, who provides much of the funding for international competitions by US squads supports the Senior (adult) level teams, but does not feel this age-group is worthy of continued full funding, so the team was cut in half in size. With most of the athletes at this age typically involved with more than one sport, we could not imagine a better investment in the future of Track and Field than to have our top young athletes attend this competition, as we have observed it a great “draw” to a continued career in our sport. However, administrative decisions are as they are, and a reduced size team, a philosophy surrounding sending those in events where we have a chance of medaling, combined with the “personality” of the manner of deciding who is on the team without a same-year qualifying meet, has left the meet with a “half-full” sense lately. Many more top young athletes should and could be involved, but some changes are needed. Anyway, back to the 2005 competiton, which had a great California
contingent. A blitz of activity started the Meet off Day 1 with
Californians all over the place! Hot Girls 100 action had Ebony
Collins, who was also running the 400 hurdles here, which will
result in an interesting “timing” of events the next
day, looking strong. Collins won her 100 heat 11.60 (+1.7), with
a quick 11.53 in Semi-Finals qualifying for the Finals against
a very good field, with Mississippi’s Bianca Knight 11.38
(+1.8) through the first two rounds. Devin Mays qualified for the
Boys 100 Final, racing 10.65, with Isaiah Green just missing out
.01 behind Mays’ effort. Bryshon Nellum and Zach Chandy both
won their heats in the 400 at 47.90, with Desirae Gonder one of
twelve who qualified to the Finals in the High Jump at 5-08.5. Day 2 had things heat up quite a bit, with 100 Finals action featuring the first Californian Medal, a silver. Ebony Collins had run a heat in the 400 Hurdles partway through the day, winning in a fine 59.82, realizing she was in the 100 Meter Final ninety minutes later. Bianca Knight, a visitor to the Arcadia Invitational earlier that spring, continued her sharp running in that short dash final here, blazing 11.38 (-0.1) for the win with Collins a super second at 11.44, the same time as third placer Jamaica’s Schiollonie Calvert. Mike Kennedy described the 100 Final: Ebony was quoted: Devin Mays was eight in the Boys 100 Meter Final at 10.74. David Klech Long Jumped 23-02 to advance to the finals there, with Zach Chandy 47.40 and Bryshon Nellum 47.69 in semi-finals action to move on to the Finals. Day Four had California Gold, with Ebony Collins blazing in the Finals of the 400 Meter Hurdles, an unreal 55.96 run that made her the number three US High Schooler ever, the #2 Californian ever behind famed Leslie Maxie, and the mark was a US Tenth Grade Class Record. Mike Kennedy described the race: Southern Californians Bryshon Nellum and Zach Chandy
would compete in the Finals of the 400 meter, with Mike Kennedy
describing the
race that had one of them bring home a medal: Scott Roth qualified for the Finals in the Pole Vault at 15-09. David Klech had a fine day, racing an impressive 51.84 (33") 400 Meter Hurdles, then returning ninety minutes lagter to Long Jump 23-06w (+2.6) for ninth. Darius Savage could throw only 148-08 and was a non-qualifier for the Finals in the Boys Discus. Day Four continued the fine action, with no medals, but good qualifying action for the Golden Staters in Morocco. An All-California Boys Medley Relay (100-200-300-400) of Isaiah Green, Devin Mays, Zach Chandy and Bryshon Nellum took a Heat win for the US, with Ebony Collins and Khrystal Carter helping out the Girls version to a qualifying leader through the Heats. David Klech continued to help create his prep legend with a fabulous
aptitude for the long hurdles, racing a 50.96 in the 400 meter
(33") barrier Semi-Finals there to post the quickest qualifier
for the Finals, with Mike Kennedy summarizing the contest: Khrystal Carter had a busy day, in addition to the Medley Relay Heat action from above, with a 23.90 200 Meter Heat win, and 23.62 personal best in the 200 meter semi-finals. Day 5, the super final session of the competition, had Californians assume a prominent spot in the action. US Gold in both Medley (100-200-300-400) Relays had an All-California Boys’ group Isaiah Green, Devin Mays, Zach Chandy, Bryshon Nellum) win with Nellum crafting a fine 46.1 anchor leg. Mike Kennedy described the contest: Khrystal Carter and Ebony Collins racing 100 and
200 meters gave the US Girls Medley squad the lead, which they
never gave up on
the way to a win by nearly three seconds in 2:03.93. Carter ended
up fourth in an exciting 200 final, with Mike Kennedy describing
the action: Scott Roth picked up some great international field event experience and thrived on it with a silver medal Pole Vault performance with a lifetime best of 17-02.75. Mike Kennedy’s description: David Klech had the quickest qualifier for the Finals of the 400 Meter Hurdles (33" hurdles), with a great contest having him eventually finish third at 50.90, Kennedy describing the contest once again: David Klech (California, Danville, Ca.), got out well and was leading at 200 meters before being caught around the turn. He then regained a very slight lead at the head of the final straight but was passed by Abdulagadir Indriss of Sudan between the eighth and ninth hurdle. Klech then almost lost his balance and did lose momentum. Meanwhile, up front, Indress was having his own troubles. After clearing the final barrier he also stumbled forward and just managed to cross the finish line in 50.78 before falling to the track. Mohammed Daak of Saudia Arabia, taking advantage of Klech’s problems, caught the Californian at the tape for second as both were timed in 50.90. Adel Jaber Asseri of Saudia Arabia after a terrible first 200 got up for fourth in 52.68. Timothy Greir (Hiram, Ga.), running in lane one ran very event race and finished sixth in 53.30. Wow, what a super meet for the Golden State, with the 2007 affair summarized in our last week’s coverage at this link. |
