2007 USATF Youth Nationals - California Summary Story
Doug Speck
Youth Division

There is a limit to what we can cover at DyeStatCal, with emphasis on the High School age athlete and maybe keeping tabs on those who have recently left the prep ranks about as far as we feel comfortable branching out due to time and space limitations. However, during the summer and the Championship Age-Group Junior Olympic type action, it is always interesting to take a look at the up and coming athletes who should arrive at the prep level in the next year or two, with the fine age-group and club system providing a glimpse at some of the future as we see those results during June, July, and maybe into August.

The Youth Nationals, this past week in Illinois, had a definite Southern California flavor to the participation at the younger levels, with the competition a “time-standards” entry situation without a requirement that an athlete place at a certain position in some qualifying meet, which is the situation in the USATF Junior Olympic National Championships at Walnut, July 24-29. Participation at all levels in the Junior Olympic Meets appears to be improving, with some great results from the Illinois affair.

With two year divisions at these Junior Olympic Championship competitions, one is not sure who will arrive at the ninth grade level next fall and spring, but there were some fine results in Illinois that assures some real quality athletes arriving soon.

If we had to pick a Golden State “Athlete of the Meet” for the USATF Youth meet it would be Akawkaw Ndipagbor of the Together Youth Elite Track & Field Team, headquartered out of Lakewood, with the young lady who we believe is an eighth grader blazing through the week in Illionois with a great series of runs. We hope we can have a nice phonetic name pronunciation for us announcer types that we can stick to for four years with this young lady. She butted heads with Florida star, Robin Reynolds, another young star who we have watched come up for a number of years, in the 100 and 400, with the Southern Californian taking the 100 final at 11.98 (+1.3 wind mps)-11.99, with Reynolds stretching it out over the 400 to win 53.10-53.92, with the 400 clockings really outstanding at that age-level. Reynolds ran wild, also taking the 200 at 24.34 (+1.3) over Valexsia Droughn (Together Youth Elite/Ventura County) 24.81, with Droughn third in the 100 at 12.05. In the 400 Jade DeVaughn (Valley United/San Fernando Valley area) was a fine 4th at 56.24. Moving up in distance Laura McDowell (Southern Cal Running Cougars/Los Angeles area) was a fine 2:17.86 for 800 meters, and ran on a fine 3:49.72 4x400 Cougar squad that challenged the Together Youth Elite group, winner there at 3:48.89. The Together Youth Elite baton crew raced through wins at the 400 meter distance (47.39) and 4x800 distance (9:28.67), the latter a fine 2:22 average with a couple of last names we are familiar with.

The Young ladies had fine distance results also, with Taylor Williams (Equalizers/Long Beach-Tustin based) a 4:46.96 1500 winner and Taylor was 10:43.39 for 3000 meters in finishing third. Dynasty Gammage of the Together Elite squad was fourth over 800m at 2:17.93, then added a 4:50.92 1500m for the silver medal behind Taylor Williams. Arianne Gushue (Equalizers) was third in the 1500 at 4:54.77, with Hannah Valenzuela (So Cal Roadrunners/Inland Empire-San Diego group) 10:43.53 for fourth in the 3k event, and Robyn Arnold (Riverside County Swift Performance) 11:03.20 showing the ability to do a fine job next year should they be frosh high schoolers in cross-country and track in the spring.

Hilary King (Valley United) was 15.16w (+2.7) over the 30" 100 Hurdles (high-schoolers use 33" in the prep competitions) in her heat and was 7th in the Finals at 15.68 (-0.6). Fine all-arounder Urina Harrell (Together Youth Elite) was 15.61 (-0.6) for 6th in the Finals of the 100 meter barrier event, and came back for a fine 28.72 in the 200 meter lows (same 30" height used at high schools), indicating the ability to run a fine 300 meter lows. Harrell is some all-arounder, with a 42-04 with the 6 pound shot put (preps use the 4k - 8.81 pounds) for fourth place there. Nasjua Palmer (California Rising Stars/Rialto) was 8th in the Finals of the 200 meter lows at 28.78.

Alexis Faulknor (Southern Cal Cougars) was a fine 17-08 (-1.4 wind) in the Long Jump fro second, with a spot on the 3:49.72 4x4 runner-up.

Akawkaw Ndipagbor and Urine Harrell of Together Youth Elite and Shanice Stewart (California Rising Stars) could not wait to get started the Week of the Youth meet, placing 3-4-5 respectively in the Youth Girls Pentathlon (100 Hurdles-High Jump-Shot Put-Long Jump-800) the competition’s first day (yes they do all the events in one day).

In the Boys Youth Division a Golden State “Athlete of the Meet” would have to Elias Gedyon (Quiet Fire TC/Los Angeles area). We do know Elias will be a frosh student at Loyola HS in Los Angeles this coming Fall. Gedyon took the 400 (50.39), the 800 (1:55.39) and 1500 meters (4:14.23 after a 4:13.79 heat) in Illinois, with the 800 clocking a new National Youth Division Record, taking down the 1:56.39 by Coyd Harper of Albuquerque, New Mexico, from 2001. Following Elias in the 1500 were a good group that should have some impact at the frosh-soph level this coming year, should they end up as prep age athletes. Christian Penn (Equalizers) was third in the 1500 at 4:21.83 and 5th at 3000m in 9:44.42 (9:34.77 entry time), with Mueen Ghoury (Southern Cal Roadrunners) 5th at 1500m (4:24.77), and Easton Tacket (Free Spirit TC/Walnut area) 4:25.95 (1500) for seventh and 9:40.49 (9:35.75 entry time) for fourth in the 3k.

DeAnthony Thomas (Southern Cal Running Cougars) was the National 200 Youth winner at 22.58 (+1.9) (22.52 +1.0 heat), and was second over 100 meters at 11.17w (+4.0). A little internet search has Thomas as a huge football talent for his Crenshaw area of Los Angeles team, with the LA section high school with the same name a huge gridiron power. Kristaan Ivory (Southern Cal Cougars) took the Youth Boys 4kg Shot at 49-10 (4k is 8.81 pounds, with high-schoolers throwing a 12 pound - 5.443 kg).

If anyone has grade information on the above mentioned athletes or knows where they will be attending school next year please pass it on to us - email

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