USATF Junior Olympics
17-18 Young Women'S Previews

By Steve Underwood

These are the previews of all of the sprint, hurdle, distance (including walks), jumping, throwing, relay, and multi events for the 17-18 year-old Young Women’s division at the USATF Junior Olympics.  They are based on entries listed on the USATF web site, including some individuals who did not qualify from regionals, but rather acquired waivers and entered based on participation in USA Juniors or the World Youth Champs.  Some of those athletes, however, will elect to end their season after those major meets or otherwise bypass JOs, so keep in mind that these leading entrants are subject to change.

Sprints/Short Relays: Top fireworks could be in 400
Often, the JO Young Women’s 100 and 200 are loaded with more top-end talent than the Young Men’s – but not so much this time, with some of the top preps done for the year or competing elsewhere.  The 400, however, is another story.

So let’s start with that 400.  Detroit Country Day MI sr Kendall Baisden made her annual transition to summer superstar at USA Juniors last month when she ripped a US#1 52.03 to make the Pan Am Junior squad.  Hopefully she’ll be here, trying to make that long awaited dip into the 51s, and she could be pushed by two other standouts with at least sub-54 capacity: Raevyn Rogers and Felecia Majors.  Rogers, the Kincaid School TX jr (The Wings TC), is just back from the World Youths – having won 800 bronze and gold for her 300 leg on the medley relay.  She set her 53.34 in the World Youth Trials, but ran only the 800 and relay at WY.  Majors, the South County VA sr (Glenarden TC), is a multi-talented superstar.  But the long sprints are perhaps her biggest strength and she’ll be looking to improve a 53.65 PR.  The next best candidate to go sub-54 is probably Meadowdale OH jr Oksana Lawrence (Flowstride TC), who ran 54.04 to win OH D2 state.

In the century, Baton Rouge jr Mikiah Brisco (New Era TC) is probably best known for her hurdling, especially after her 100H bronze at World Youths.  But she’s also an 11.55 (legal) talent and will be tough to beat here.  Her New Era teammate, McMain Magnet LA jr Aleia Hobbs, is an 11.68 talent and Claremont CA sr Brittany Brown (AOSTC Acad.) was the state runner-up behind Ariana Washington with bests of 11.49w/11.59.  There’s also state champs like West Johnston NC sr (4A) Jasmine Dawson (Durham Striders) at 11.70, and Great Bridge VA (AAA) sr Kiera Brown at 11.82.  And don’t forget about always dangerous Jada Martin, the Georgia 5A runner-up from MLK in Atlanta.

Similarly, the 200 doesn’t quite have the top-end U.S. prep talent in the low-mid 23s, but there are plenty of rising stars in the 23.7 to 24.4 range.  It could very well come down to Brookwood GA jr Simone Glenn (Glenarden TC), who was 4th at the WY Trials in a legal 23.76, and McDonogh#35 LA jr Marcquita Stalbert (New Era), who claimed the New Balance Nationals Outdoor half lap in 23.82 and was the AAU JO champ last year (when her PR was 23.52).  Hobbs, Dawson and Martin are in this one, too, and if you like darkhorses, consider Lindblom Prep IL sr Shamier Little (Off TC) – known best for her 400 and 400H aptitude – and Kelly Walsh WY jr Jerayah Davis, who struggled in the WY Trials but has a 23.79nwi from her state meet.

In the 4x100, it’s not hard to see why New Era TC (45.26 best) would be the favorite when you consider that we’ve mentioned Stalbert, Brisco and Hobbs all as individual title contenders from that club.  They should be at least low 45s.  But at least half a dozen other clubs can hit low 46s or better, so it will be a barnburner.  In the 4x400, there are eight clubs at 3:50 or better, with Raevyn Rogers’ Wings TC at 3:45.76 and, leading em all at 3:41.12, Texas Storm TC – led by Daye Shon Roberson and Tiffany Terry.

Hurdles: Wallace, Little back in action
The YW 100 hurdles should be one of the best races of the meet.  At the top of the list are US#2 Castro Valley CA sr Sasha Wallace (EOYDC) and World Youth bronze medalist Mikiah Brisco (New Era).  Wallace (13.43 PR) is an unbeaten state champ, with USA Junior and New Balance Nationals Indoor (60H) titles under her belt, while Brisco went 13.29 over the 30” barriers in Donetsk.  Another finalist from Donetsk, Creekview TX soph Samantha Gonzalez (Irving Elite) in the 400H, could step down and compete her.

They aren’t the only contenders in the race, as Clayton NC sr Mollie Williams (Hurdles First) just stepped up her game to a new level last weekend in the Russell Blunt Invite NC with a PR US#4 13.54.  Also deserving of attention is Spring TX jr Alaysha Johnson, the 5A champ with 13.52w.  Several others have high-13/low-14 potential.

And the 400H could see the return of the aforementioned Shamier Little to her specialty.  She did not contest this event at USA Juniors (instead running a huge PR 52.59 on the flat), but has a US#2 58.80 from her Penn Relays win – and of course, a US#1 57.44 from last year when she repped Team USA at World Juniors.  Gonzalez is slated here, too, which is also her specialty and where she hit 59.66 at the World Youths.  A Little-Gonzalez showdown would be a thriller. 

But wait, don’t forget about SE Raleigh sr Tametris Morrison (Island Glider), who emerged in the event while winning the NBNO 400H at 59.59.  Others who should be in the mix and a threat to be around a minute (1:00.00) are Thomas Wooten MD sr Gwen Shaw (Glenarden TC), Roswell GA sr Amber Lewis (Titans TC), and Helen Cox LA sr Briyana Richardson (New Era).

Distances/4x800: Rogers could spark the two-lapper
The big key as to whether the YW 17-18 800 will be a bangup race is whether or not Raevyn Rogers competes.  As mentioned above, she is fresh off her two WY medals and also entered in the 400.  She would be the best in the field by about eight seconds.  Two other entries have gone under 2:12, in Battlefield VA jr Ellison Grove (2:11.38 to win Southern Classic) and Tri Cities GA’s Tatyana Hodnett (2:11.90).  The rest of the field has several others under 2:15 who hope to break out and get on the awards stand.

As is the case on the male side, the quality and depth of fields at the 1,500 and 3,000 level (maybe a little less so in the steeplechase) tends to be compromised by the fact that many distance runners are getting ready for cross-country.

But one big exception is one of the Empire State’s finest, Penfield jr Katie Lembo (Penfield AC).  She’s the girl to beat in both the 15 (3rd last year) and 3k (defending champ), with bests of 4:35.43 and 9:41.67 – the latter mark achieved in winning her state meet.  She also was 10th in the NBNO 2M at 10:26.77.

Hoping to give Lembo a run in the 1,500 (and also a factor in the 800) will be Griswold IA soph Rebekah Topham.  She ran 4:28.92 for the distance last year and has clocked 4:32.85 this year.  The favorite in the 2k steeple should be Gabby Merritt of nearby Greensboro Day School.  The senior ran 7:11.22 at NBNO here several weeks ago.

Jumps: Vaulters try to get back on track
The pole vault probably has the best chance for fireworks among the 17-18 year-old girls and it will be especially interesting to see who’s still got it as the summer wanes after a long season.  Desiree Freier (13-9), Lakan Taylor (13-11) and Emily Brigham (13-6.25i) have all had big PRs this year, but both Texans are coming off meets where they didn’t make even 13 feet.  Freier, the Justin Northwest TX jr competing for Elite Sportz Texas Pole Vaulters Club, won the WY Trials to make Team USA and got into the final in Donetsk, but was 9th with 12-11.  Taylor, a Fort Worth Boswell TX sr and Freier’s club teammate, was just 5th at USA Juniors with 12-11.5. 

The Mill Valley KS sr Brigham went 13-3.5 for 4th at USA Juniors, but still not ultimately satisfying for her.  Several others are in the mid-high 12s.

Sasha Wallace, the aforementioned US#2 100H, is also US#2 in the triple jump at 42-4, and was unbeaten in California.  She could definitely net a 100H/TJ double.  She’ll have to beat the defending champ to do it, though, as Holt MO sr Nataliyah Friar returns after leaping 40-9.75 last year.  Others who are at least in the 40-foot range include Tatum TX jr Kenija Collier, a surprise US#4 42-2.25 at TX 2A state; North Florida Christian jr Darrielle McQueen, the Caribbean Scholastic and Golden South champ; Tri-Cities GA sr Keyasia Tibbs; Bishop McNamara MD sr Brielyn Rogers; Elizabeth Seton MD jr Javonne Antoine; Miller Grove GA jr Tiffany Flynn; and Minnetonka MN jr Mia Barron – who was 2nd behind US#1 Keturah Orji at the World Youth Trials.  This is a very deep field.

In the long jump, fans are hoping to see South County VA sr Felecia Majors, the Penn Relays champ who has gone 20-3.  Friar is also entered in this event, where she was 2nd at Great Southwest this past spring.  Also, although Lawrence Free State KS jr Alexa Harmon-Thomas didn’t compete in the heptathlon, she may enter the long jump, where she has leapt 19-5w (and other individual events).  Others in the mid-19s or better include Shakinah Brooks (3rd NBNO, 4th Penn), Bre’Yana Wash (5A state champ, 20-1.75w), Tiffany Flynn, Tierra Williams, and McQueen.

Finally, the aforementioned Harmon-Thomas would be a high jump favorite if she shows up.  Others north of 5-8 include Texas 5A state champ Makenzie Smajstrla (5-10 best), Great Southwest champ Carly Paul, and Olivia Vincent – who leapt 5-8 as a frosh two years ago and during her comeback from knee surgery already won the heptathlon Tuesday.

Throws: Hoping for internationalists Blake, Glasmann
Throws fans are hoping international travelers (and registered entrants) Ashlie Blake and Megan Glasmann come back after their overseas success and pump up the shot put, discus, javelin here at the JOs.  Blake won a bronze in the World Youth shot, coming reasonably close to the monster 58-11.5 PR she set at the Trials with the lighter 3kg ball.  With the prep shot, she is US#3 with a 51-8.5 best.  She often throws well deep into the summer, as evidenced by the 52-1 she marked at AAU JOs last year.

Glasmann has returned from Finland, where she was part of the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation’ Project Kultan Keihas, where she was trained (with other select American preps) by outstanding Finnish coaches.  In competition there, she improved her US#2 to 168-1 and added to a fantastic year that also saw her win USA Juniors and NBNO. 

Blake would be the heavy SP favorite, and right there in the DT, while Glasmann would be awfully hard to top in the JT.  The next best SP entrants could be Dickinson TX’s Lauryn Caldwell (Mainland Jaguars) at 47-7.5, Pope GA jr Andrea Vahoua (Throw 1 Deep) at 45-4.25, Western Guilford NC sr Bre’Anna Warren (Durham Striders) at 44-3.5, Battlefield VA jr Galissa Cause (Virginia Spec) at 43-10, and Ft Bend Hightower TX jr Jeia Gilliam (The Wings TC) at 43-5. 

Gilliam is actually better in the discus, where she has thrown 159-2, while Caldwell is a 157-2 performer this year.  Blake has also thrown 157, while Warren is at 154-5.

In the javelin, Louisiana 5A champ and West Monroe sr Rebekah Wales has a big 158-3 PR and could push Glasmann or certainly win, especially if she’s the top seed.  Mercersburg Acad. PA sr Sarah Firestone has thrown 152-1 and was 2nd in the Penn Relays.  Roseburg OR soph Gabrielle Kearney hit 156-7 at the WY Trials with the lighter jav and has hit 141-5 with the prep implement.