National Scholastic Athletics Foundation

2014 Youth Olympic Games – Day 2

Photos by Joy Kamani (top to bottom): 1) Janie O'Connor (left) appears to clutch her hamstring after the girls' 100; 2) Janae Moffitt in the girls' high jump; 3) Jeffrey Uzzell (left/middle) tries to finish hard in the boys' 100.

Girls 100m

(First 8 qualify for the “A” final; others qualify for the “B,” “C” and “D” final)

Polish Youth and Junior National record holder Ana Swoboda exploded to a big PR and very fast 11.30 heat win to lead the qualifiers.  She had finished fourth in this year’s IAAF World Junior Championship with a best of 11.42.  The 11.30 moves her to #2 in the yearly World Youth lists.  Only American Kaylin Whitney has run faster.  The next best qualifier was China’s Xiaojing Liang at 11.64, equaling her personal best.  Janie O’Connor (Zachary, LA) finished 4th in her heat, running 12.56, about .8 off her best, and appeared to be clutching her hamstring.  She got the last spot in the ‘B’ final.

Girls 2000m Steeplechase

(First 9 qualify for the “A” final; next 8 qualify for the “B” final)

2013 IAAF World Youth Champ Rosefline Chepngetich (Kenya) had no problem with this win, getting a seasonal best of 6:20.10.  Eight others in the field of 17 got personal bests.

Girls High Jump

(First 8 qualify for the “A” final; second 8 qualify for the “B” final)

Eight girls cleared 5-10 to move to the “A” final.  They included world ranked #2 Michaela Hruba (Czech Republic), who had cleared 6-3.25 for second place at this year’s IAAF World Junior Championships.  Janae Moffitt (Oak Hill, Converse, IN) could only manage 5-5 and finished 14th.  She had missed twice at 5-7, then took too much time prior to her third attempt and was called for a time foul.

Girls Shot Put

(4 qualifying attempts; first 8 make the “A” final; next 7 make the “B” final)

The top 3 ranked girls in the world were the top qualifiers here.  Favorite Alena Bugakova, coming in with a 64-3.75 best, led the qualifiers at 61-10.5.  Anika Nehls (Germany) was second best at 56-6, just over Maria Orozco Castro of Mexico at 56-5.75.

Girls Hammer

(4 qualifying attempts; first 8 make the “A” final; next 7 make the “B” final)

Alex Hulley of Australia, ranked #2 behind Zsofia Bacskay of Hungary, pulled mild a upset winning with a PB 232-6.  Lucia Prinetti of Italy, ranked #4, also got a PB, throwing 230-6 for second.  Backsay, the world leader at 242-8, was third in 227-6.

Boys 100m

(First 8 qualify for the “A” final; others qualify for the “B,” “C” and “D” final)

Trae Williams of Australia looked impressive with his heat 4 win, leading all qualifiers at 10.51.  Favorite Raheem Chambers (Jamaica), coming in as the leader at 10.27, won his heat but pulled something at the 90 meter mark and hobbled across the finish line in 10.68.  It’s not clear if he will be at full strength for the final.  Jeffrey Uzzell (Eagles Landing Christian, Mc Donough, GA), got a horrible start and ran 11.27 for 6th in his heat, advancing to the ‘C’ final.

Boys 1500m

(First 9 qualify for the “A” final; next 9 qualify for the “B” final)

Gilbert Soet of Kenya led the qualifiers, winning heat 2 in a personal best 3:45.21.  He began celebrating his win with 20 meters to go, cutting across the track and finishing the race in lane 8.  Six of the eight qualifiers came out of this heat, with Soet setting a fast pace, leading at 400m (58.19) and 800m (1:58.70).  Eleven of the nineteen in the two heats got personal bests.

Boys 2000m Steeplechase

(First 8 qualify for the “A” final; next 7 qualify for the “B” final)

World leader Wogene Sidamo of Ethiopia improved on his personal best, winning in 5:34.25.  Hicham Chemlal of Morocco, the 3000m Steeplechase world leader, was second in 5:39.50.  Ten athletes in the 15-person field achieved personal bests.

Boys Long Jump

(4 qualifying attempts; first 9 make the “A” final; next 8 make the “B” final)

World leader Anatoly Ryapolov of Russia led the qualifiers, jumping 25-1.25.  Hans-Christian Hausenberg of Estonia was second at 24-0.75, and Alex Rousseau-Jamard of France was third at 23-7.5.

Boys Shot Put

(4 qualifying attempts; first 8 make the “A” final; next 7 make the “B” final)

Like the girls, the top 3 shot putters in the world are here and they finished in their current world ranking order.  The winner was this year’s IAAF World Junior Champion, Konrad Bukowiecki (Poland) with a throw of 73-3.5.  Andrei Toader of Romania was second at 67-8.25 and Merten Howe of Germany was third with 65-3.25.

Boys Hammer

(4 qualifying attempts; first 8 make the “A” final; next 7 make the “B” final)

World leader Bence Halasz of Hungary, coming in with an incredible 285-11 best, easily led the qualifiers with a throw of 274-6.  Ahmed Youssef of Egypt was more than 20 feet back in second (254-3), with Hilb Piskunov (Ukraine) in third at 253-1.  Kenneth Brinson (Marist, Atlanta, GA), finished 14th at 207-4, well off his 221-9 best.