2015 WY Champs 7/18 Morning Report: Davis, Christensen shine; relays begin

by Jim Spier

World Youth Champs – Day 4 morning

Long Jump Qualifying – Women

Tara Davis (Agoura, CA) got the auto qualifier (20-00.25) on her first attempt, jumping 20-05.75, just ¼ inch off her personal best.  She was the second leading qualifier overall.

Javelin Qualifying – Men

Liam Christensen (Mt. Pleasant, SC) came ever so close to qualifying.  His first throw was an incredible 14-foot PR, out at 238-2 (72.60m).  He had thrown a PR in Lisle of 224-4 to make the team.   He was 14th in an event where there were 12 automatic qualifiers (those throwing 239-6 or better).  It was best ever performance by an American at a World Youth Championship.  Here are the previous U.S. qualifiers and their distances:

1999 Justin McKnight  58.70  20th
           Jason Koch          53.34  26th

2001 Dustin Johnson   57.10  10th (59.56 in qualifying)

2003 Chad Brown        69.08  7th (72.59, leading qualifier)

2005 Daniel Haddock  39.57  27th

2007 no U.S. athletes made the entry standard

2009 Devin Bogert       70.61  7th
          Chris Rodriguez  65.77  17th

2011 no U.S. athletes made the entry standard

2013 no U.S. athletes made the entry standard

2015 Liam Christensen  72.60 14th

 

 

Mixed 4x400m Relay

The first time this has been contested at any world championships.  It was quite interesting, to say least.  There are 2 boys and 2 girls, and they can run in any order.  The U.S. was the leading qualifier by more than 2 seconds, running 3:22.65.  The team was comprised of: Keshun Reed (Martin, Arlington, TX – 48.3), Symone Mason (Southridge, Miami, FL – 52.6), Cory Poole (East Orange, NJ – 48.3) and Lynna Irby (Pike, Indianapolis, IN – 53.3).

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Heptathlon – Day 2

Both Americans achieved personal bests in the Long Jump, Jordan Fields jumping 18-4.5 and Caice Lanovaz 18-1, moving up in the rankings as a result.

Here are the top 3 long jumps from today:

20-04.25 Sarah Lagger  Austria
20-00.25 Lisa Maihofer  Germany
19-01.5 Tereza Vokalova Czech Republid

Here are the standings after 5 events:

1. Lisa Maihofer  Germany 4470
2. Sarah Lagger  Austria  4452
3. Adriana Rodriguez Cuba  4425
4. Andrea Obetzhofer Austria  4349

23. Caice Lanovaz  USA  3837
26. Jordan Fields  USA  3792

Caice Lanovaz got a PR in the javelin (115-10) while Jordan Fields did not perform well.   Both moved down in the rankings.  Note below how well the rest of the heptathletes in the world throw the javelin.  It is a real sticking point for our athletes.

Here are the top 3 javelin throws from today:

179-00 Alina Shukh  Ukraine
173-05 Geraldine Ruckstuhl Switzerland
152-05 Andrea Obetzhofer Austria

Here are the standings after 5 events:

1. Geraldine Ruckstuhl  Switzerland 5180
2. Andrea Obetzhofer  Austria  5141
3. Sarah Lagger   Austria  5106
4. Alina Shukh   Ukraine 5033

24. Caice Lanovaz   USA  4415
30. Jordan Fields   USA  4179

Day 2 comparisons between the World Youth Qualifying and World Youth Championships:

Caice Lanovaz (Foothill, Pleasanton, CA)

                     LJ               JT           800m 

WY             18-01         115-10

WY Trials  18-00.25   111-01    2:25.16


Jordan Fields (Creekside, St. Johns, FL)

                    LJ               JT            800m 

WY             18-4.5       82-11

WY Trials  18-02.5     91-03    2:22.08


Other winners from events in which no Americans competed:

Boys 10000m Racewalk, Sergey Shirobokov, Russia,  42:24.41

Girls 5000m Racewalk, Zhenxia Ma,  China,  22:41.08

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