2015 WY Champs 7/16 Morning Report: 13 advance with big night ahead

by Jim Spier


World Youth Champs – Day 2 morning


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A few notes on activities outside the track.

I have never seen so much security at a track meet.  There are literally hundreds of members of the Colombian Army here, as well as scores of local police and security personnel.  It’s actually a good feeling.  Nonetheless, both the Kirby Lee of the U.S. and the Japanese photographer Jiro Mochizuki had lenses stolen on the infield!  Apparently there is a video of someone (non-credentialed) walking through the media area, across the track and into the infield.  And they took the two photographers’ lenses.  Authorities have been notified.  We certainly hope that they are returned.

    

There are dozens of restaurants ringing the stadium, most of them offering local (fried food) fare.  We came across an actual vegetarian restaurant and were quite impressed.  We ran across Norman Grimes’ parents there, Norman Sr. and Deedy.  We had a nice talk; they seemed to have bonded with some New Zealand parents who were also eating there.

We returned to the hotel last night at about 10pm.  There were not a lot of restaurant choices, so we walked to the Cali Towers, a 40 story hotel.  We noticed that the restaurant had a sign that said “Open.”  But the chairs were stacked up, and they were obviously preparing for the next day’s breakfast.  Nonetheless, the host told us to come in.  We sat at one of the few available tables as most had chairs on them.  The meal was quite good and, of course, inexpensive.  We were surprised that the kitchen was still open at that hour, but apparently they stay open late for room service.

The volunteers here are eager to please and are very welcoming.  Most are high school and college age and are anxious to practice their English and talk to Americans.

Shot Put Qualifying -Women
(automatic qualifying 54-01.75)

Nickolette Dunbar (Whippany Park, NJ) made it easy on herself, meeting the qualifying standard on her first attempt.  She threw a personal best of 56-11.5, over a foot past her prior best.  Sophia Rivera (Brentwood, MO) fouled on her first attempt, though it’s unclear why.  The mark was beyond the auto qualifying mark and she did not step out of the ring.  The U.S. was preparing to protest that throw.  However, she hit the auto mark on her final throw (54-2) so the protest became academic.  Now Sophia has to make a choice (or not).  She has qualified for both the shot put and javelin final, and they both start tonight within 5 minutes of each other.  The immediate word is that she will do both.  I spoke with Olaf Brockmann, the IAAF press steward. He has never heard of that happening before on any level.

High Jump Qualifying -Men
(automatic qualifying 6-11)

Only 10 cleared 6-9.75, so there was no necessity to move the bar to 6-11.  Darius Carbin (Mt. Pleasant, San Jose, CA) and Jaron Brooks (Henry Clay, Lexington, KY) tied for first with two others.  So there were 10 at 6-9.75 and two at 6-8.25 who advanced to the final.

3000m Round 1 –Men

Mason Coppi (Dana Hills, Dana Point, CA) was 8th in his heat and did not advance.  Nonetheless he ran a PB 8:38.71 (though he has a 3,200m PR of 9:01.96 that suggest he can run faster).  The top four qualifiers were (what else) two Kenyans and two Ethiopians.

100m Round 1 –Women

No problem for the Americans in getting to the semi-finals.   Candace Hill (Rockdale County, Conyers, GA) won her heat in convincing fashion with 11.47.  Jayla Kirkland (Woodlawn, Birmingham, AL) was second in her heat (11.76), but qualified easily.  The fastest early qualifier was Khalifa St. Fort of Trinidad and Tobago (and a student at St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, FL) at 11.39.  That was equaled in the last heat by a very impressive Hannah Brier (Great Britain).

1500m Round 1 –Women

Julia Heymach (Lamar, Houston, TX) ran a courageous race in very warm conditions.  She couldn’t “hang” with the leaders, but managed a 6th-place finish in her section, running a PB 4:21.91.  She was noticeably exhausted after her race and had to sit for her post-race interview.

800m Round 1 –Women

Amanda Thomas (Western Branch, Chesapeake, VA) ran a gutsy race, especially for her first time on the world stage.  Kicking down the home stretch, she just missed being part of the top 3 which qualify automatically.  Samantha Watson (Rush-Henrietta, Henrietta, NY) ran virtually unchallenged becoming the overall leading qualifier, running 2:06.05.  (While watching this race I realized how much that Lisa Morgan is not a figurehead Head Coach.  She really coaches!)

110m Hurdles (36”) - Round 1 – Men

Both Norman Grimes (Canyon, TX) and Isaiah Lucas (Cypress Falls, Houston, TX) had an easy time of it, with both winning their heats.  Grimes got a PB 13.62 and Lucas a World Youth-leading PB 13.44.

Hammer Throw Qualifying -Men
(automatic qualifying 236-02)

Robert Colantonio (Barrington, RI) got the auto qualifier on his second throw (238-6) and will advance to tomorrow’s final.

400m Hurdles – Semi Finals –Women

Sydney McLaughlin (Union Catholic, Scotch Plains NJ) ran a much smoother race today, though her 56.79 winning time was almost identical to the 56.81 she ran in yesterday’s first round.  All went well until hurdle 7, where she had a serious shutter-step.  That may have cost her a second.  And, once she cleared hurdle 10, she relaxed and jogged in.  So sub-55 still seems to be in the cards.  Brandee’ Johnson (Nansemond River, Suffolk, VA) ran an intelligent race until the last 5 meters.  She let up at the end of the race and could easily have gone from 1st to 4th (top 3 automatically qualify).  She ran 58.51 and times for 2nd through 4th were 58.56, 58.67 and 58.70.

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