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Preview - 10 Storylines to Follow at USATF U20 Outdoor Championships

Published by
DyeStat.com   Jun 20th 2019, 11:04pm
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By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Here are 10 storylines to follow at the USATF U-20 Outdoor Championships at Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Fla., which serves as the selection meet for the Pan Am U-20 Championships on July 19-21 in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Watch the live Webcast on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Boling looks to keep rolling

Few teenage athletes have improved as much in the past year as Houston Strake Jesuit TX talent Matthew Boling.

Following sixth-place finishes in both the 400 meters and long jump at last year’s meet in Bloomington, Ind., the Georgia-bound Boling has not only switched his focus on the track to the 100 and 200 meters, but also developed the potential to become one of the central figures on an American roster competing July 19-21 at the Pan Am U-20 Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Boling, a member of the silver medal 4x400 relay group at the IAAF World U-20 Championships last year in Tampere, Finland, is entered Saturday and Sunday in the 100, 200 and long jump.

Boling is the top qualifier in the 100 with his wind-legal 10.13-second performance in the Texas 6A state final, in addition to boasting the best entry mark in the long jump with a 26-3.50 (8.01m) effort from the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.

Boling, who ran a wind-legal 10.15 in the 100 in his most recent race June 8 at the Great Southwest Classic, is also seeded third in the 200 at 20.58.

Cherryville NC graduate Trentavis Friday holds the 100 meet record of 10.00 seconds from 2014. 

A Taylor-made three-peat

Beavercreek OH junior Taylor Ewert is the only two-time U-20 champion scheduled to compete at the meet, seeking a third consecutive title Sunday in the women’s 10,000-meter racewalk.

Since the racewalk was first added to the U-20 championship schedule in 1972, only three female athletes have won at least three consecutive titles.

Robyn Stevens was the last individual to achieve the feat, capturing four straight crowns from 1999-2002. The first title was in the 5,000-meter racewalk, with the last three coming at the 10,000-meter distance.

Anya-Maria Ruoss secured three in a row in the 5,000 racewalk from 1994-96 and Susan Ruiz won three straight championships in the 3,000 racewalk from 1978-80.

Ewert lowered her own American U-20 record to 45:57.81 at the IAAF World U-20 Championships last year in Finland. Ewert will attempt to improve on her meet record 49:07.52 from last year in Indiana.

Here’s to you Mr. Robinson

Hazelwood West MO junior Justin Robinson placed fourth in last year’s 400-meter final at the USATF U-20 Championships and earned a silver medal as part of the 4x400 relay at the IAAF World U-20 Championships in Finland.

Robinson not only established himself as a leading contender to capture the title, but potentially challenge the national high school record after running 44.84 seconds June 8 at the Great Southwest Classic in New Mexico.

Wilson WA graduate Darrell Robinson, no relation, has held the national prep record of 44.69 seconds since 1982.

The meet record of 45.01 belonging to Jerome Young of Prince Tech CT has stood since 1995.

No prep athlete in history has ever run under 45 seconds on multiple occasions.

Only two other entries, Middle Tennessee State’s Willington Wright and Baylor’s Matthew Moorer, have run under 46 seconds this season.

Healing Hall ready for heptathlon

Valor Christian CO graduate Anna Hall, a Georgia signee, hasn’t competed in the heptathlon since last year’s IAAF World U-20 Championships in Finland.

After setting the national high school pentathlon record with 4,302 points at the USATF Indoor Championships in February, which ranks No. 2 all-time in American U-20 history, Hall is not only looking to improve on her own national prep heptathlon mark but potentially challenge the U.S. U-20 record Saturday and Sunday.

Following her 5,798-point performance last season at the Great Southwest Classic in New Mexico, Hall accumulated a meet-record 5,660 points at last year’s USATF U-20 Championships and then 5,655 points in Finland.

With improvements in the 100-meter hurdles, 200 meters, 800 meters and shot put in the past year, along with more consistency in the javelin, Hall hopes she has recovered enough from a left ankle injury that had her in a walking boot for a stretch of the regular season prior to the Colorado state meet in order to achieve the level of production desired in the long jump and high jump.

If Hall can demonstrate the necessary durability in tough conditions this weekend in Florida, she has an opportunity to pursue the 2014 American U-20 record of 6,018 points held by former Georgia star Kendell Williams, who also had performances of 5,877 and 5,854 points during her freshman season with the Bulldogs five years ago.

Hall is also looking to become the fourth female athlete to repeat as U-20 champion in the heptathlon, including the first since former UCLA standout Ryann Krais achieved the feat in 2008-09.

North Carolina State’s Timara Chapman, who accumulated 5,412 points at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships, is the only other entry who has surpassed the 5,000-point barrier.

Bryanna Craig, a freshman from Millville Senior NJ, placed ninth at last year’s meet. She eclipsed the freshman class national record to win the New Balance Nationals Outdoor title with 4,958 points.

Another Pan Am pursuit for Edwards

The only returning Pan Am U-20 gold medalist for the U.S. scheduled to compete at this weekend’s meet looking to secure a spot on another American roster to chase another title in Costa Rica is Eric Edwards Jr. in the men’s 110-meter hurdles.

Edwards captured the U.S. U-20 title in 13.32 seconds in Sacramento in 2017, then won the gold medal in Peru in 13.33.

After running 13.49 seconds for Oregon over 42-inch hurdles this season, Edwards returns to the 39-inch hurdles to battle fellow collegiate standouts Tai Brown of Kentucky and Cordell Tinch of Kansas.

Also competing is Stockton St. Mary’s CA junior Jamar Marshall, who boasts a wind-legal 13.50-second effort and wind-aided 13.31 mark over the 39-inch hurdles this season.

The meet record of 13.21 was set in 2015 at Hayward Field by former Long Beach Millikan CA standout and current Cal Berkeley senior Misana Viltz.

Edwards is looking to become only the fourth two-time champion in the 110 hurdles in meet history, including the first since former Sycamore OH and Indiana University standout Glenn Terry in 1989-90.

Davis, Davies and dynamic dashes

At least one athlete who made the women’s 100-meter dash, 200-meter and 400-meter finals at last year’s meet are all scheduled to return.

But it could be a group of new challengers, or a switch in events, that could produce the champions in all three events Saturday and Sunday.

Kayla Davis of Run U XPress in North Carolina, who ran an age-15 world all-time best 51.17 seconds to win the 400 at New Balance Nationals Outdoor, is expected to be challenged by Penn State freshman Alexis Holmes, USC freshman Bailey Lear, Arkansas freshman Paris Peoples and Texas freshman Kennedy Simon.

Ziyah Holman of Georgetown Day School in Washington D.C., who set a meet-record 52.62 at the Brooks PR Invitational in Washington, continues to build momentum, along with North Central IN freshman Ramiah Elliott.

Lear and Provo UT graduate Meghan Hunter both return after placing seventh and eighth in last year’s final.

In the 100, Brebeuf Jesuit IN graduate Semira Killebrew arrives in Florida after running a personal-best 11.24 at the Brooks PR Invitational. Thelma Davies of Girard College PA, who finished fifth last year, returns along with Killebrew and Ole Miss freshman Kelly Rowe, who placed 10th and 14th, respectively.

Another Ole Miss freshman, Brandee Presley, is also expected to challenge with an entry mark of 11.24.

The outcomes of the 100 and 400 will also shape the 200 final, especially for an athlete like USC freshman Lanae-Tava Thomas, who not only boasts the top entry mark at 22.76, but is solely focused on one event.

Cincinnati freshman Caisja Chandler is the only other 200 entry having run under 23 seconds this season. Davies and Buford GA graduate Alexa Rossum are the only returning finalists from last year.

Prep presence in distance races

Daniel Maton of Camas WA placed third last year in the 800 in 1:50.79, but returns this weekend after running a nation-leading 1:49.69 at the Portland Track Festival.

Maton is among a group of high school distance standouts looking to secure spots on the U.S. roster, along with AJ Green of Eastview MN in the 800, reigning Foot Locker national cross country champion Cole Hocker of Indianapolis Cathedral IN in the 1,500, as well as Grant Gardner of Springville UT and Caleb Easton of Middleton WI in the 5,000.

The biggest challenges for Maton and Green in the 800 could come from USC freshman Samuel Van Dorpe, who has run 1:48.88, as well as Reece Proctor of Chabot College CA and his 1:49.92 personal best.

Hocker has the best opportunity, with only five athletes entered in the 1,500. Penn State freshman Drew Maher is the top entry at 3:44.88.

Easton and Gardner are among nine entries in the 5,000, with Oklahoma State’s Adam Dayani and CarLee Stimpfel of NCAA Division 2 Saginaw Valley among the top collegiate competitors.

Remarkable rematch

One of the most anticipated showdowns of the weekend involves Trenton Track Club NJ junior Athing Mu and Stevens Point WI freshman Roisin Willis squaring off in the women’s 800 meters for the first time since their memorable matchup in March at New Balance Nationals Indoor final.

But they aren’t the only athletes with aspirations of making the U.S. roster, along with USC freshman Alyssa Brewer and San Diego State freshman Nyjari McNeil, plus Chandler AZ graduate Morgan Foster, Fairview CO graduate Marlena Preigh and Woodstock GA graduate Brynne Sumner, as well prep standouts Victoria Vanriele of Governor Livingston NJ and Dominique Mustin of North Canyon AZ.

Foster returns after placing fourth last year, with McNeil finishing 14th.

The past five women’s 800 finals at the USATF U-20 Championships have featured at least one prep athlete placing among the top two finishers.

Pedigo primed for another big performance

Parkview Baptist LA graduate Tzuriel Pedigo placed second in the men’s javelin throw at last year’s meet, before making history for the Americans at the IAAF World U-20 Championships in Finland by capturing a silver medal.

Pedigo, now representing LSU, is not only looking to make another U.S. roster, but also challenge the 2010 meet record of 238-4 (72.65m) belonging to Washington’s Joe Zimmerman.

Pedigo produced a throw of 239-9 (73.09m) in March at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, ahead of Texas A&M freshman Nick Mirabelli, who remains one of his biggest challengers Saturday with a personal-best 236-6 (72.09m).

Penn freshman Marc Anthony Minichello is also a strong contender with a personal-best 237-8 (72.45m).

Pedigo is the only returning male athlete in any throwing event who competed in Finland to pursue another opportunity to compete for the U.S. in Costa Rica.

A new set of hurdling heroes

Kentucky freshman Masai Russell has unfinished business from last year’s meet, when she placed third in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, just two-hundredths behind the final qualifying spot for the U.S. roster to compete at the IAAF World U-20 Championships in Finland.

Should she desire, Russell also has the opportunity to pull off an impressive double Sunday in the 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles, among the top entries in both events.

But she will face significant challenges from a pair of New Balance National Outdoor champions in order to return to the Pan Am U-20 Championships after capturing a bronze medal in 2017 in the 400 hurdles in Peru.

Greater Atlanta Christian GA junior Jasmine Jones is a strong challenger in the 100 hurdles, with Mills Godwin VA graduate Britton Wilson looking to improve on last year’s fifth-place finish in the 400 hurdles.

Spencerport NY graduate Vanessa Watson, fourth at last year’s meet in the 400 hurdles, is also an impressive contender.

Russell will be joined in the 100 hurdles by former Bullis MD teammates Leah Phillips and Lauryn Harris, along with Phillips in the 400 hurdles.



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