National Scholastic Athletics Foundation

100m Hurdles Semifinals – Girls (30”)

Dior Hall (Washington, Denver, CO) ran as close to a flawless race as could be in winning semi 2.  She ran 13.15 for a meet record, never hitting a hurdle and winning by .35.  That time is #3 all-time.  In the next race, Mikiah Brisco (Baton Rouge, LA) also got a PR (13.47), running second to the Jamaican Yanique Thompson’s even newer MR of 13.12. 

400m Semifinals – Boys

Ryan Clark had another PB here, running totally under control and winning in 46.33.  That’s a world youth leader and #4 US high school for 2013.  He is the leading qualifier into the final.  Jordan Jimerson (Union Catholic, Scotch Plains, NJ), running from lane 1 in his semi, could manage only 48.97 for 7th and will not advance.

100m Semifinals – Girls

Ariana Washington (Poly, Long Beach, CA) ran a totally controlled race easily winning her semi in 11.48.  Ky Westbrook (Chandler, AZ) did not accelerate well and had to “play catch up” which indeed she did, catching Swede Irene Eklund at the finish, and winning by .03 in 11.52 [-1.8].

100m Semifinals – Boys

Jaalen Jones (Thompson, Mobile, AL) finished a bit out of the money, finishing 5th in his heat, though running a decent 10.67.  Kenzo Cotton (Papillion-La Vista, Papillion, NE) was with the leaders halfway through the race, but suddenly “pulled” and barely finished the race.  Second place time in the second semi was 10.76.  That place qualified automatically and obviously slower than what Jaalen Jones ran earlier.  This is only the second time that the US has not had a 100 meter finalist, the other time being 2003 in Sherbrooke, Canada.

Shot Put Final – Girls (3kg)

The US got its first medal in the personage of Ashlie Blake (Liberty, Henderson, NV).  Ashlie got the bronze with a throw of 57-7.75.  Her first throw was a foul.  Her second moved her into 7th position, enough to get her in the final.  She moved up to fifth with her fourth throw, then into 3rd with her 57-7.75 with throw 5.  Lena Giger had a big first throw, 54-2.5, eventually getting her into the final where she was sitting 8th.  She did not improve and finished in that position.

400m Semifinals – Girls

Olivia Baker (Columbia, Maplewood, NJ) got a challenge from Jamaican Tiffany James but ultimately prevailed, running 53.63.  She will advance to the final.  She is the only American entrant.

400m Hurdles Semifinals – Boys

Kenny Selmon (Pace Academy, Atlanta, GA) ran a great 8 hurdles and then began to tire.  He hang on for second, running 50.95 to winner China’s Yang Wang who ran 50.72.  Marlon Humphrey (Hoover, AL) looked great through 6 hurdles, holding off Jamaican Okeen Williams.  Williams overtook him at the 8th hurdle.  Marlon hit the 9th hurdle and Williams surged past him.  Marlon let up with 5 meters to go and almost got overtaken, but held on for the automatic second place qualifier, running 50.96.  Williams got the world lead of 50.53 with his win.

Long Jump Finals – Boys

Isaiah Moore (Cummings, Burlington, NC) fouled on his first attempt.  It was a big one, close to 8 meters (26 feet or so).  He had a great second jump, soaring to 24-8.5 [0.1], another PR.  The put him in third place, but only by a lesser second jump to Yaoquing Fang of China (24-3.5 to 23-8.25).  That’s the way it stayed for the rest of the competition.  Yesterday morning Isaiah’s PR was 23-10.  At the end of the day it was 24-4.  Then this.  He was nowhere on the radar for a medal coming into the meet and wound up getting the bronze. 

100m Final – Girls

Oh my!  Who would have thought?  Ky Westbrook (Chandler, AZ) had a decent start, and took control of the race after 40 meters.  She continued her charge and did not give up her lead for the rest of the race.  She ran 11.33, #2 US High School, but #1 at low-altitude US leader.  She held off Ariana Washington (Poly, Long Beach, CA) who was only .01 off her personal best, running 11.40.  Westbrook is two time New Balance Nationals 100m champion.  Washington is the 2013 New Balance Nationals Indoor 200m runner up.

Octathlon Javelin

Gabriel Moore (Freeport, FL) got back into 5th place with his 169-11 javelin throw, worth 615 points, his total now 5311.  John Lint (Columbus Academy, Gahanna, OH) is in 17th, having thrown 122-2 with the javelin (402 points) for a total of 5035 points. 

Octathlon 1000m

Gabriel Moore finished 6th overall with 6013 points after running the 1000m in 2:56.18 worth 702 points. John Lint moved up to 13th after his 2:42.64 1000m (844 points) with 5879 points total.  Both were off their World Youth Trials performances, but they performed well on the world stage.

100m Hurdles Final – Girls (30”)

What a race!!!!   We knew it would be a close one between Jamaican Yanique Thompson and Dior Hall (Washington, Denver, CO) both of whom had the fastest times in the semis.  But we never expected this!  Hall and Thompson were virtually even for six hurdles when Thompson began to pull away slightly.  She held that lead and became the first youth ever under 13 seconds, running 12.94.  Dior Hall, at 13.01, broke the US record of 13.06 held by her mother, Yolanda Johnson, set in 1986; same high school (Washington, Denver), same family.  Another surprise was the third place finish of Mikiah Brisco (Baton Rouge, LA) who had a monster PR of 13.29 for the bronze.  That’s #7 all-time for the 30” hurdles.  Her best coming into the meet was 13.76.  She ran 13.73 in round 1, 13.47 in the semis and 13.29 in the finals!