Girls Throws
Blake has top medal shot

By Steve Underwood

Shot Put
Team USA Meet History:  Want to see some great examples of World Youth success leading to greatness years later?  Look no further than the 2001 WY girls’ shot results, where Valarie Adams of New Zealand – 2008 and 2012 Olympic champ and 3-time World (Sr.) Champ – topped American Michelle Carter – eventual prep USR-holder, in and out, as well as 2004 WJ champ, two-time Olympian and American record holder.  That said, Carter remains the only Youth medalist for Team USA in the shot, though Becky O’Brien ME 4th in 2007 and Tori Owers GA 5th in 2011 both came close.

Team USA Roster (HS, Grad Yr, hometown)
Ashlie Blake, Liberty NV, 2014 (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Lena Giger, Highland IL, 2014 (Highland, Ill.)

IAAF World List (rank among WYC entries when diff. than list #)
1. 65-7, Emel Dereli, TUR
2. 62-10.75, Alena Bugakova, RUS
3. 58-11.5, Ashlie Blake, USA
4 (5). 58-2.5, Anika Nehls, GER
5 (6). 56-10, Alina Kenzel, GER
6 (7). 56-4.5, Lena Giger, USA
...
11 (4). 55-1.5, Elena Bezruchenko, RUS (58-4.75i)


Team USA Hopes/Preview:  The lighter 3kg shot put may be new to American prep throwers, but it didn’t take Blake and Giger long to make the adjustment.  Blake gave a good idea of what’s possible at the Trials by powering it nearly 59 feet, more than six feet further than her HS shot PR.  Giger was impressive, too, and the duo are right in the medal hunt, ranking #3 and #6 in the world.  Dereli has been dominating the world list since last year.  She was even #2 on the world list with the “old” shot in 2011 – at age 15.


Discus
Team USA Meet History:  The discus has been the most successful event among the girls’ throws for Team USA.  Alex Collatz CA won silver in 2009, while three American girls have captured bronze: Amarachi Ukabam in 2001, Kamorean Hayes NC in 2005, and Shelbi Vaughan TX in 2011.  Vaughan’s distance two years ago was further than all but two previous champs, but the brutal competition left the prep USR-holder third. 

Team USA Roster (HS, Grad Yr, hometown)
Lloydricia Cameron, Miami Northwestern, 2014 (Miami, Fla.)
Ashlie Blake, Liberty NV, 2014 (Las Vegas, Nev.)

IAAF World List (rank among WYC entries when diff. than list #)
1. 177-8, Yuchen Xie, CHN
2. 168-10, Xingyun Liang, CHN
3. 165-4, Adriana Brown, USA
...
5 (3). 163-11, Claudine Vita, GER
6 (4). 163-1, Lenuta Burueana, ROU
7 (5). 161-0, Veronika Domjan, SLO
...
9 (7). 159-5, Lloydricia Cameron, USA
12(10). 157-0, Ashlie Blake, USA
(italicized not entered in WYC)

Team USA Hopes/Preview:  The discus is the only girls’ throwing implement unchanged for this edition of the WYC.  It will be tough for Cameron and Blake to match the success of recent American greats like Collatz and Vaughan.  But they certainly have a good chance to get into the final and, with the competition looking not quite as tough as 2011, just might contend if they can get into the 160s.  Meanwhile, Chinese fans are hoping their favored duo can add to the three Youth discus golds the country has won over the years.  Brown, the Lawrence Central IN junior, was the top eligible prep, but did not compete in Edwardsville.


Hammer
Team USA Meet History:  The highest American placer in this event, in 10th, was Kristen Michalski in 2001.  Nyla Woods GA is the first qualified and selected since 2003.

Team USA Roster (HS, Grad Yr, hometown)
Nyla Woods, Grady GA, 2014 (Fayetteville, Ga.)

IAAF World List (rank among WYC entries when diff. than list #)
1. 249-5, Reka Gyuratz, HUN
2. 244-0, Helga Volgyi, HUN
3. 235-5, Zsofia Bacskay, HUN
4. 225-6, Ecem Akcakara, TUR
5. 225-4, Katarzyna Furmanek, POL
6. 223-10, Audrey Ciofani, FRA
...
-- (24). 199-3, Nyla Woods, USA


Team USA Hopes/Preview:  The hammer is another girls event with a lighter implement in this WYC.  Woods found that out at the Trials; she was a 172-6 performer with the prep/women’s implement, then went up to 199-3 with the new one.  As far as the rest of the world, three Hungarians have flown ahead of the pack, with Gyuratz hitting nearly 250 feet.  That country had the 2001 gold medalist, but hasn’t medaled otherwise since 2005.  Woods will likely have to improve markedly to make the final and it could take 225 or better to medal.


Javelin
Team USA Meet History:  The high water mark for Americans came in 2011, when Haley Crouser OR just missed a medal in fourth.  No one else has finished in the top eight.

Team USA Roster (HS, Grad Yr, hometown)
None

IAAF World List (rank among WYC entries when diff. than list #)
1. 186-11, Ilaria Casarotto, ITA
2. 182-10, Anete Kocina, LAT
3. 180-11, Jo-Ane Van Dyk, RSA
4. 180-6, Reka Szilagyi, HUN
5. 180-4, Yulenmis Aguilar, CUB
...
16. 167-10, Emma Fitzgerald, USA
(italicized not entered in WYC)

Team USA Hopes/Preview:  Emma Fitzgerald, a Thayer Acad. MA frosh, threw 149-0 with the prep jav during the season, then won the Trials using the lighter Youth jave with a fine 167-10 that put her #16 in the world.  However, she was not selected.  An Italian has never medaled in this event here, but the current world list is topped by Casarotto.  A crowded list of 180-footers is behind her.  Historically, the medals have been spread around to numerous countries.