Mu and Robinson look to add more medals to golds captured at Pan American U-20 Championships in Costa Rica; Smalls only high jumping after participating in three events at AAU Junior Olympics

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Three of the elite prep athletes in the world will be competing against collegiate and professional opponents Tuesday through Saturday at the 18th Pan American Games at the Athletics Stadium in Lima, Peru.

Justin Robinson of Hazelwood West MO, Morgan Smalls of Panther Creek NC and Athing Mu of Trenton Track Club in New Jersey are members of the U.S. national team.

Robinson already has a pair of international gold medals at the Pan American U-20 Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, winning the 400-meter gold medal in 45.04 seconds July 19, in addition to contributing to a World U-20 record 2:59.30 in the 4x400 relay two days later.

Robinson, who improved to the No. 2 all-time high school 400 performer by clocking 44.84 on June 8 at the Great Southwest Classic in New Mexico, is scheduled to compete in both events in Peru, joined by Michael Cherry, Mar’Yea Harris and Wil London III on the 4x400 relay.

Mu captured Pan American U-20 gold in the women’s 800 meters in Costa Rica in 2:05.50, but made significant strides at the recent Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, by clocking 2:01.17 – elevating her to the No. 6 all-time prep performer – to finish fifth in the July 28 final.

She gained additional experience competing against professionals when she set the American indoor 600-meter record Feb. 24 by clocking 1:23.57 in New York to win the USATF Indoor title.

Smalls will be making her second international appearance this year after winning the high jump at the Caribbean Scholastic Invitational in Havana, Cuba.

Smalls ascended to the No. 2 all-time indoor high school performer in the high jump with a 6-3.50 (1.91m) clearance March 8 at New Balance Nationals Indoor in New York. She also set a meet record June 16 by clearing 6-2.25 (1.89m) at New Balance Nationals Outdoor in North Carolina.

Smalls, who is only scheduled to compete in the high jump in Peru, recently won the triple jump and high jump, as well as placing third in the long jump in the 17-18 division at the AAU Junior Olympics in North Carolina.