2015 WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS (WYC)
At Cali, Colombia, July 15-19
2015 U.S. WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS
At Benedictine University, Lisle, Illinois, June 30-July 1
Boys Report | Girls Report
April 30 Update
To be eligible to compete you must 1) be a U.S. citizen with a valid passport; 2) be born in 1998 or 1999; and 3) have met two qualifying standards, one standard for the U.S. World Youth Championship trials and a second standard for the World Youth Championships (there are two separate standards and two different time frames when marks must be achieved). Those 2015 World Youth Standards can be found on the separate Boys List and Girls List. Those marks must be made between October 1, 2014 and July 1, 2015. The 2015 U.S. Trials standards for the World Youth Championships are now listed. The qualifying window for the U.S. Trials for the WYC is between October 1, 2014 and July 26, 2015. Here is a link to the USATF web site for the U.S. Trials. http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2015/World-Youth-Track---Field-Trials.aspx)
Fifth in a Series -- Compiled by Mike Kennedy (e-mail mkentrk@aol.com )
CUNNINGHAM SETS U.S. HIGH SCHOOL AND YOUTH HIGH JUMP RECORDS
Florida, Louisiana and Georgia Begin State High Champion Season This Week
On a cool but not cold evening Vashti Cunningham of Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nv.) set a national high school and U.S. Youth (under 18) high jump record at the Mt. San Antonio Relays in Walnut with a clean clearance of………well that was the question. At first the height was announced at 6-4 ¼ which broke the old record of 6-4 set by Amy Acuff of Calallen (Corpus Christi, Tx.) in 1993 and equaled by Toni Young of Del City (Ok.) in 2009. When the official results were made available it turns out Cunningham had actually cleared 6-4½. That translated to 1.94 in meters which broke the old U.S. Youth record of 6-3 set by Acuff in 1992 and by Cunningham last year and earlier in the Mt. SAC competition. Cunningham's mark also equals the American Junior record set first by Tanya Hughes of Arizona in 1991 and then equaled by Acuff and Young. The high school careers Acuff and Cunningham are very much the same with both athletes dominating both class and age records. Cunningham with a national record as a junior now holds a slight edge. Cunningham can now shoot for the World Youth record of 1.96 meters which translates to 6-5 5 -- currently held by three athletes.
During the past two World Youth championship qualifying meet the girl javelin throwers have not been chosen despite having performances that would likely have made the final at the WYC. It is very hard to see that happening for a third straight championship. Consider the following top four. Sophia Rivera of Brentwood (St. Louis, Mo.) is the leader at 175-10 followed by Madison of Connellsville (Pa.) at 168-5, Katelyn Gochenour of Marian (Omaha, Nb.) at 167-2 and Tairyn Montgomery of Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Ca.) at 164-4. The U.S. throws the 600 gram weight while the rest of the world's Youth throw a 500 gram implement. The WYC qualifying standard is 157-6. Given the weight difference add about 10 feet to the U.S. javelin and you get distance of 185-10, 178-5, 177-2 and 174-4. At the last WYC it took 161-4 to advance to the finals and 159-9 placed in the top eight. Hard to ignore.
Here is a quick look at the standouts for the girls the last two weeks.
Lauren Rain Williams of Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Ca.) took over the high school lead in the 200 with 23.19 run in windless condition at the Mt. SAC Relays. Symone Mason of Southridge (Miami, Fl.) continues to tear it up in Florida with a 23.57 in her regional meet. Kaylin Whitney of Clermont (Fl.) opened up her pro career in mid-April in Tampa (Fl.) with a wind legal 23.16 Also opening her outdoor season was junior Lauren Ghee of Grassfield (Virginia Beach, Va.) with times of 11.78, 23.96 and 54.38. Unfortunately no wind gauges were not in use. Given the wide-open nature of the 400 that could be Ghee's best chance to make the U.S. team. Aaliyah Miller of Boyd (McKinney, Tx.) at 2:09.51 and Sinclaire Johnson of Lake Brantley (Altamont Springs, Fl.) at 2:10.07 look to be rounding into championship shape.
In a great dual, Kate Murphy of Lake Braddock (Burke, Va.) and Libby Davidson of E.C. Glass (Lynchburg, Va.) were 1-2 in the Penn Relays 3,000 running 9:32.82 and 9:34.12, respectively. Sophomore Julia Heymach of Lamar (Houston, Tx.) soloed 4:43.99 for 1,600 and 10:18.56 for 3,200 on consecutive weekends. Kimani Rushing of Hallandale (Hallandale Beach, Fl.) took over the national lead in the 100 hurdles at 13.63 in a regional meet on the quick Miramar track. In a separate Florida regional meet Ashley Miller of East Side (Clermont) clocked 13.76. Last year she was at Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village, Co.) where she a best of 13.38. Brooklynn Broadwater of Springside Academy (Philadelphia, Pa.) took over the national Youth lead in the 400 hurdles with 60.69.
In the shot put, like a number of weight event, the U.S. uses a heavier weight that the rest of the worlds Youth, 4-kilograms to 3-kilograms. The difference is about six feet. Two weeks ago Elena Bruckner of Valley Christian (San Jose, Ca.) threw 50-5¼, just short of Sophia Rivera indoor national leading 50-6¼. Nickolette Dunbar of Whippany Valley (Nj.) answered this past weekend with a winning 50-7¾ at the Penn Relays. At the 2013 WYC in Donetsk (Ukraine) 51-7 advanced to the finals and 51-11 ¾ placed you in the top eight. Ashley Blake of Liberty (Henderson, Nv.) won the bronze medal with a throw of 55-3½. Bruckner doubled back in the discus with a Youth-leading 160-3. In 2013 it took 140-3 to advance to the second day and 148-1 to place in the top eight.
Here is a quick look at the standouts for the boys the last two weeks.
T.J. Brock of Crespi (Encino, Ca.) turned some heads at the Mt. San Antonio Relays 100 with 10.20 that was aided by a 2.6 meter per second. Amir Rasul of Columbus (Miami, Fl.), the top Youth sprinter in 2013 and 2014, has got to be hoping that this season will not be a repeat of the last two years, which were interrupted by injuries. He is off to a good start with time of 10.74 and 21.53. Josh Eiker of Galesburg (Il.) opened his outdoor season with times of 10.58, 21.05 and 48.39. The sprint marks carried wind reading of 0.0 but a close look at the meet results showed that other race had varying readings. Just one of the many races to watch at the Texas state meet should be the 6-A 400 where national Youth leaders Keshum Reed of Martin (Arlington) at 47.15 and Howard Fields of Manvel at 47.40 should make the final. Josephus Lyles of T.C.Williams (Alexandria, Va.) was the top returning Youth 400 runner at 46.25 in 2014 but had been quite until the Penn relays where he ran his 400 leg in the 4 x 400 relay in under 46 seconds.
Ryan Schweizer of Dowling Catholic (West Des Moines, Ia.) was listed as a freshman at the Drake Relays but after winning the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 a quick check found that he was actually a junior but that should to nothing away form the 1:52.15 he ran for 800 meters. Aiden Tooker of Saratoga Springs was second in the Penn Relays 3,000 with an 8:27.34. Three runners at the Centennial Invitational 3.000 in Gresham (Or.) dipped under 8:37.0 led by Roman and Grayson Ollar of West Linn (Or.) at 8:32.97 and 8:33.34, respectively. The hurdles have been fairly quite the past three weeks but that will change with the state meets in Florida and Texas. An athlete to keep your eye on is Quincy Hall of Raytown South (Raytown, Mo.). Three weeks ago he ran his first race for his high school team. What makes that a little unusual is that for the past two years he has dominated the 400 and 400 hurdles on the summer AAU Circuit. Last year he won the 400 in 46.71 and the 400 hurdles in 52.19. This season in two meets he has best of 37.99 for 300 hurdles and 48.29 for the 400.
There are a number of outstanding athletes in the field events. Ja'Mari Ward of Cahokia (Is.) is the high school leader in both the long jump and the triple jump. In the long jump he has gone 25-7 ¼ indoor and 25-6 ½ outdoor with a legal 1.8 meter per second wind. In the triple jump he had a best of 51-7 ¾ indoors and Tuesday went 51-11 outdoor with a legal wind. In 2013 at the WYC it took 24-1½ and 49-9 ¼ to advance to the finals. Jordan Geist of Knoch (Saxonburg, Pa.) just keeps getting better and better. Indoors he had a best of 66-0¾. Two months later he was back up to 66-1 ½ and then threw 67-1 to win the Penn Relays. The U.S. uses a 12-lb shot while the Youth shot is about 11-pounds (5-kilograms). The difference is about three feet. In 2013 it took 61-7 ¾ to make the final, 64-7 ½ to make the top eight and 67-6 won the bronze medal. Bobby Colantanio of Classical (Providence, R.I.) has a best hammer throw of 238-7 with a 12-lb. The WYC will used the 5-kilo hammer (11-lbs). The difference is about 15 feet. In 2013 it took 234-8 to make the final and 244-8 to finish in the top eight.
U.S. Trials Qualifying Information (a must-read)
The United States is the seven-time defending World Youth team champion. The U.S. Trials are scheduled in just under four months at Benedictine University in Lisle (Il.). The first two finishers in each event, provided they have met the IAAF World Youth championships standard, will be placed in a pool and the U.S. team will be selected from that pool. Since 2001 there have been between 40 and 55 athletes selected, although in recent years the number has been between 40 and 43 athletes.
The 2013 U.S. World Youth team was made up of 43 athletes. The USATF has fixed the size of recent teams at around 40, twenty of which are paid for by the IAAF. The general guideline that has been used in selecting the U.S. team has been a demonstrated ability to advance to the finals of the World Youth Championships. Those standards are much higher than the entry standards set by the IAAF. However, the tougher standards have resulted in between five and ten athletes, who have shown that ability to reach the World Youth Championship finals, not being selected. With the success of U. S. Youth-age athletes (born in 1998 or 1999) at last year at the IAAF World Junior championship in Eugene, there is a high likelihood that additional well deserving athletes might not be selected. An example of the success selection method, 2013 World Youth Championships saw 19 of 20 girls selected for the U.S. team made WYC finals. Unless the size of the 2015 team is increased, there is a high likelihood that U.S. will again deny deserving athletes the invaluable experiences that can only be gained in competitions such as the WYC.
Perhaps the most important thing that athletes can do is to be sure to have a U.S. passport valid through 2015. You must have a passport with you when you participate in the U.S. World Youth trials. You will not be able to get a passport at the U.S. trials. Be sure to allow at least six weeks from the time that you apply for a passport until it is sent to you. You can apply for a passport through the Post Office. Getting a passport is a long-term investment. It is good for 10 years and there is every reason to believe that athletes with the talent to qualify for the World Youth Championships will have need of a passport multiple in the next 10 years.
A special note concerning the following events: 1,500 meters, 3,000 meters 2,000-meter steeplechase and 400-meter hurdles. All athletes must have a qualifying mark in these specific events to that meet the IAAF standards for entry into the World Youth Championships. You can not substitute 1,600, mile, 3,200, two-mile or 300-meter hurdles times to meet the IAAF standards. Because the distance standards are very tough, athletes are advised to compete in 1,500 and 3,000 races against college-open athletes. You can use times in those events to qualify. In the 100, 200, 100-meter hurdles and 110-meter hurdles plus the long jump and the triple jump, qualifying marks must be accompanied by wind readings of 2.0 meters per second or less. It should be noted that the hurdle heights at the U.S. Trials will be the heights at the WYC. The hurdle heights will be three inches shorter in the boys 110 and 400 hurdles and the girls 100 hurdles.
Although the World Youth Championships is an outdoor event, indoor marks may be used to qualify. However, the running events must take place on flat-floor tracks of 400 meters or less.
Here is the U.S.A. Track and Field website link for the U.S. Trials for the 2015 World Youth Championships.
http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2015/World-Youth-Track---Field-Trials.aspx
Here is a link to the 2013 U.S. Trials for the WYC that will give you an idea of what to expect in 2015. This includes results from the U.S. Trials in 2013.
http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2013/World-Youth-Track---Field-Trials.aspx
Here is the IAAF website for the 2015 World Youth Championships. That also includes the results from the 2013 World Youth Championships. When take comes up click on History for 2013 results.
http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-youth-championships
