World Youth Championships - July 16-18, 1999 at Bydgoszcz Poland
Day
3: US Women get 3 golds
LaShauntea Moore wins 200, Monique Henderson wins 400; both on winning
Women's Medley team (above); US Men's Medley also scores
by Doug Speck & Mike Kennedy
MEN
200 Meters (Final)
1. Timothy Benjamin (Great Britain) 20.72 (wind +0.9)...3. Bryan Sears (USA)
21.16.
Sears gave up some usual distance around the turn, with Bryan
in 5 and
Benjamin, who had run 20.98 in semi action, inside in 4. Down the long
straightaway one hoped the American star would gobble up the Brit (actually
Wales) runner, but Benjamin, with high knees and a powerful "off the
toes"
style, stretched it out also, with the latest English sprint star powering into
the tape as Sears fell to third in the final 5-7 meters.
Bryan Sears (Georgia) - "I knew about the others in the
race and knew that I
had to get out of the blocks. I did that and ran my best, but my legs just
gave out the last twenty meters, as I have done an awful lot of running in the
last two days (three 100 meter dashes, one medley leg, and three 200 meter
dashes). I felt fortunate to what I did here in this meet, as much of my
spring was bothered with a lingering virus that hit the area of the country
where I live. As far as the recent English-U.S. sprint rivalry, I felt out on
the track we were competing as individuals. (When asked about football) You
can ask my dad why I do not play football. (Sears will try to win the 100 and
200 meters week after this coming one in Omaha, Nebraska)."
Tim Benjamin (Britain) - "I was really nervous before the
race. My strategy
was to go out hard, relax a bit on the turn, then lift my knees down the entire
straightaway. (Regarding US/British sprint rivalry) Britain has had a number
of good sprinters lately, but it doesn't matter where you are from. Anyone
has the potential to run fast. There are big rivalries in Britain as to who
will be the fastest sprinter and it inspires peple to run faster. My next
competition is the European Junior (under 20) Championships in three
weeks."
400 Meters
1. William Manalla Nkosi (Republic South Africa) 46.94...5. IVORY MCCANN (USA)
47.55, 6. TRAVON WALTON (USA) 47.92.
Some strange things took place before this race started. Ivory McCann was
charged with a false start on the first gun fire, with Mark Van Soest (South
Africa) charged with a second, with the recall starter warning McCann about
movement in the blocks before that recall. Finally, with the race off, McCann
was out very quickly, leading down the backstretch by at least a couple of
meters. Into the turn McCann settled, in great shape for a final 150 meter
charge. Unfortunately in the straightaway the Texan reached down and there was
not the ammo available he had hoped, as he faded to fifth. Travon Walton
finished out a great year here in sixth, rushing for over 2000 yards in the
Fall for a Championship Football team, placing high in the Junior Nationals,
and making the Finals here.
Medley Relay (100-200-300-400)
(Final)
1. United States (Jonathan Lott - Bryan Sears - Travon Walton - Ivory McCann)
1:51.29.
--the U.S. held its own through the first leg, with Sears busting the contest
open during a big second 200 meter segment. Travon Walton had about 6 meters
as he took the baton at the head of the backstretch. The 400 Meter finalist
stretched the lead to 1.8 seconds at the exchange with anchor runner McCann.
800 Meter champ Mark Van Soest raced up to McCann by the start of the second
turn, with McCann pulling away down he straightaway during a 46.8 leg.
--Comments from US Team: Lott: "My job was to make up the
stagger and have a
good hand-off. I think I did a good job and then Bryan took over." Sears:
"I
felt kind of sluggish at the hand-off, but figured I had to get the team out
into the lead. I knew that South Africa would be tough and wanted to put us
ahead. I thanked God for the power after all the running I had done earlier
in the meet." Walton: "I felt great! I wanted to keep expand on the
lead that
Bryan gave to me. This team has grown so close together this trip." McCann:
"I was very upset at my 400 meter Finals effort, but felt that we had all
worked hard to get here so I knew I had to get the job done. I kind of felt
South Africa coming up, but realy ran my own race. (when told his split was
46.8) I am very pleased with that time and the win. I am the "baby" of
this
team and the first three helped take care of me."
Triple Jump:
1. Ibrahim Mahmedin (Qatar) 15.96 (52-04.5 wind -0.4)....6. ALLEN SIMS (USA)
15.15 (49-08.5 wind -0.8).
Discus (Same Weight as US High School)
1. Ming-Huang-Chang (China Taiwan) 64.14 (210-05)......5. DAN TAYLOR (USA)
55.96 (183-07)
200 Meters
(Final)
1. LASHUNTEA MOORE (USA) 23.38.
LaShauntea Moore (lane 5) came off the turn a bit down to Melanie Walker of
Jamaica, a single lane outside of the American. Once the straightaway came
Moore swtiched once again into overdrive
Moore - "I am shocked once again with my success at this
level, after not
having that good a high school season (she won the Ohio State Meet at 200
meters, but lost over 100 meters for Bishop Hoban HS in Akron). I have done
more speed work since the end of the school year and during the summer and
think it has made the difference. My ambitions are to try to represent the
U.S. in the 2000 Olympics, and if not there, in the 2004 games." (When
asked
about her emotional response on the awards stand which included no shortage of
tears). "This win meant a great deal to me. After feeling I had won nothing
truly big during the regular season to win the biggest meet of the year truly
meant a great deal to me, and I think that is why I reacted the way that I
did."
400 Meters
1. MONIQUE HENDERSON (USA) 52.28.
A great race had Henderson in 6, Norma Gonzalez of Columbia in 5, and Nigerian
Helen Okpanachi in 4. Gonzalez really took it out, moving up along side of
Henderson at the 180 meter mark. Henderson ran with the South American star
around the turn, with the straightaway a desperate struggle among the first
three places (Opanachi (Nigeria) 52.38, and Gonzalez 52.39). Henderson raced
51.96 to win the U.S. Juniors, with thee rounds here against two there.
Henderson - "I cannot believe that I won this race. As I
was outside of the
others who had run quick in the semi's, I knew that I had to get out hard. I
figured they would move ahead of me at some point and that I would have to
catch up and pass them down the straightaway. At the finish I was not sure who
won, and did not know until I saw the replay scoreboard show the finish. I
felt that I was tightening up down the final straightaway, but knew that I had
to relax if I was to win. I would suggest that anyone eligible attempt to
qualify for the team. The chance to represent your nation in international
competition is great, with so many people from so many nations cheering for you
as you run."
100 Meter Hurdles (Heats) (30" hurdles)
(Heat #3)
1. Cristina Sarrapio (Spain) 13.60...3. VIRGINIA POWELL (USA) 13.85 (qualifier
for Finals)
(Heat #4)
1. Maren Freisen (Germany) 13.42....4. ELMETTA JOHNSON (USA) 14.10 (non-
qualifier)
(Finals)
1. Adriana Lamalle (France) 13.08 (wind -0.4)......8. VIRGINIA POWELL (USA)
14.01.
Virginia Powell (Washington) was not available for comments, having to go to
the awards ceremony for the 400 relay. She was off to a good start from her
lane 7, but then was steadily run away from by those athletes in the center of
the track, finishing 8th in 14.01.
Medley Relay (100-200-300-400)
1. USA (Stephanie Durst - LaShauntea Moore - Christy Fairley - Monique
Henderson) 2:07.71.
--Moore broke open this race with a big second leg, with Fairley coming into
the final exchange in super shape. However, the non- visual hand-off attempted
had Henderson racing away through the zone with the tiring Fairley unable to
reach her. Monique did slow, but the hometown team, Poland, went past at the
slowed exchange, and it became interesting. Henderson stormed past on the
backstretch, and never looked back during a 53.7 leg that started with the
dead-stop baton difficulties.
--Hurst: "I felt that I made up a couple of staggers on
my leg." Moore: "I
felt our hand-off was good and I passed most in the field during my second
leg." Fairley: "I wanted to keep the lead, and I guess I was tired
when I came
into the hand-off. I thought 'Oh my god' when Monique took off and I hollered
at her. Fortuantely she slowed and we were able to make the exchange."
Henderson: "I saw the end of the zone and heard Christy hollering coming up
and
so I slowed to receive the baton. I was mad when Poland went past and
responded emotionally with a strong start. I really heard the crowd yelling
for the Polish team and it made me run faster."
Coach Joy Kamani: "These girls really kept their composure through a ton of
distractions--the hotel, people around us, and the boys, and the like could
have broken our concentration. This group held their composure better than I
felt could have been possible. I am so proud of them"
Discus
1. Hong Mei (China) 52.18 (171-01)...7. EMILY DURAN (USA) 45.76 (150-01).
