2016 IAAF World U20 Champs 7/20 Preview: Lyles, Ward, Wilson shoot for gold
Here is our preview of the Wednesday events (7/20) at the 2016 World U20 Championships, July 19-24, in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Top USA storylines, all involving current or previous NBN champs, include
- Favored Noah Lyles going for gold in the men’s 100, adding to a stellar career with medals in four international meets and coming off an amazing Olympic Trials
- Ja’Mari Ward hoping to follow up from his stunning 26-footer in long jump qualifying and perhaps upset the Cubans in the final
- World #2 Alyssa Wilson and Elena Bruckner battling for medals in a great women’s shot put prelim and final
Men’s Track – Men’s Field – Women’s Track – Women’s Field
MEN'S TRACK
100m dash: Lyles zeroed in on gold
(semis and final)
Records
Meet: 10.05, Adam Gemili GBR 2012
WJR: 9.97, Trayvon Bromell USA 2014
AJR: 9.97, Trayvon Bromell 2014
Top 5 Entries
(by ’16 best; plus additional U.S.)
1. Abdullah Abkar Mohammed KSA 10.04
T2. Noah Lyles USA 10.16 (10.08w/10.14 in ’15)
T2. Nigel Ellis JAM 10.16
4. Filippo Tortu ITA 10.19
T5. Tlotliso Leotlela RSA 10.21
T5. Jack Hale AUS 10.21
…
13. Hakim Montgomery USA 10.30
Analysis: Many probably wondered who was Abdullah Abkar Mohammed and was he a serious gold medal threat? The Saudi Arabian (10.49 in 2015), ran a 10.04 Asian U20 record at 10.04 at Mt. SAC in April. But nothing under 10.40 since and he was a no-show in Tuesday’s prelims. So there’s no doubt regarding the favorite: The irrepressible Noah Lyles has won national team medals his first three years of HS – relay silver at the ’13 World Youth, 200 gold at the ’14 Youth Olympics, and 100 silver and 200 gold at the ’15 Pan Am Juniors. He is coming off a magical week at the Olympic Trials, with three great 200 rounds and a HSR/AJR 20.09 in 4th. In the 100, he missed making the semis despite running 10.16.
Since Lyles – also a 4-time NBN champ – only ran the 100 at USA Juniors, that’s what he’s running here, plus the 4x1. He led qualifying in 10.28 Tuesday. The other U.S. entrant is Hakim Montgomery, a 10.60 man as a prep who improved to 10.30 at Troy State this year. Other key contenders for medals include Italy’s Filippo Tortu at 10.19; and 10.21 performers Tlotliso Leotlela of South Africa and Jack Hale of Australia.
Team USA History: Americans have topped the podium four times: In 1986 with Derrick Florence and Stanley Kerr going 1-2; 1988 with Andre Cason, in 2004 when Ivory Williams and Demi Omole went 1-2, and two years ago when it was CSI alum Kendal Williams and Treyvon Brommel winning gold and silver.
110m hurdles – Krah, Lattin hope to end drought
(qualifying and semis 7/20, final 7/21)
Records
Meet: 12.99, Wilhem Belocian FRA 2014
WJR: 12.99, Wilhem Belocian FRA 2014
AJR: 13.08, Wayne Davis II 2009
Top 5 Entries
(by ’16 best; plus additional U.S.)
1. Marcus Krah USA 13.25
2. Amere Lattin USA 13.32
3. Nicholas Andrews AUS 13.33
4. James Weaver GBR 13.33
5. Damion Thomas JAM 13.42
Analysis: It hasn’t been pretty for Team USA in this event, with no medals since ’08 and no golds since ’04 (see below). But that could change with Marcus Krah and Amere Lattin. Krah has been an amazing success story in ’16, charging into the 13.30s during an NC state meet triple, getting edged out in a great CSI 110H by teammate Trey Cunningham, then sweeping NBNO and USA Juniors to take the World lead. A product of the great Durham Striders program, the gold is his for the taking.
Teammate Lattin has improved strongly as a Houston Cougar frosh and ran great in Clovis during his return to the 39” hurdles. He has Team USA experience in the ’14 Youth Olympics. Aussie Nicholas Andrews and Brit James Weaver have been consistently fast and will be right there in the medal hunt. Another U.S. prep, Damion Thomas of Northeast HS in Oakland, Fla., is repping Team Jamaica here and will contend as well.
Team USA History: Americans haven’t been nearly as successful here as you’d imagine. The last to medal was Booker Nunley in ‘08 (silver); the last to win was Aries Merritt in ‘04. Before that there was gold for Antwon Hicks in ’02 and five medals of other colors.
400m dash – Thebe the man to beat
(qualifying 7/20, semis 7/21, final 7/22)
Records
Meet: 44.66, Hamdan Odha Al-Bishi KSA 2000
WJR: 43.87, Steve Lewis USA 1988
AJR: 43.87, Steve Lewis 1988
Top 5 Entries
(by ’16 best; plus additional U.S.)
1. Baboloki Thebe BOT 44.22
2. Abdalelah Haroun QAT 44.81
3. Kahmari Montgomery USA 45.13
4. Wilbert London USA 45.28
5. Karabo Sibanda BOT 45.40
Analysis: Baboloki Thebe has had a stunning ascension to the top of 400m running. While he had been successful at 100 and 200, his progression in ’16 from a 45.23 debut to 44.22 (#2 all-time U20) was more than expected. Having also won the senior African title at sea level in 44.69, he’s proven that the 44.22 was no fluke. His consistency makes him a reliable favorite. Another African, Qatar’s Abdalelah Haroun, ran 44.27 last year and 44.81 so far this year, making him the top challenger, at least.
When 45.19 performer Michael Norman decided just to focus on the 200 at USA Juniors, that left the 400 to a pair of collegians, Missouri’s Kamahri Montgomery and Baylor’s Wil London. Both went into the low 45s this year, but obviously you always watch for the effects of a long NCAA campaign for the collegians and how they hold up into July. Both were under 46 in Clovis, so the prospect is promising that either or both can at least contend for bronze. Finally, don’t forget about ’15 World Youth champ Christopher Taylor of Jamaica – just 45.66 this year but 45.27 last year at age 15.
Team USA History: Americans have been pretty successful here, winning six times with the last being Marcus Boyd’s 2008 victory. At least one medal went to Team USA in every WJC from ’02 through ’12, before a shutout in ’14.
MEN'S FIELD
Long Jump – Ward challenging Cubans
(final after 7/19 qualifying)
Records
Meet: 26-11, James Stallworth USA 1990
WJR: 27-4.75, Sergey Morgunov RUS 2012
AJR: 27-4.5, Randy Williams 1972
Top 5 Entries
(by ’16 best; plus additional U.S.)
1. Maykel Masso CUB 27-2
2. Miltiadis Tentoglou GRE 26-10.5
3. Juan Miguel Echevarria CUB 26-1.5
4. Fabian Ime Edoki NGR
5. Mouhcine Khoua MAR
…
8. Ja’Mari Ward USA 25-8.75
16. Harrison Schrage USA 25-3.25
Analysis: Wednesday night’s final is eagerly anticipated by U.S. fans after Ja’Mari Ward’s stunning breakthrough in Tuesday’s qualifying, as he went from 13th to 1st on his final jump – a PR and U.S.-leading 26-1.5, joining HSR-holder Marquise Goodwin (see below) as the only prep in the last 25 years to go over 26 outdoors. Ward, a CSI alum and member for two years of the NSAF’s Project Triple Jump, has long shown this type of potential and to see him break through was beyond satisfying.
That said, it WAS qualifying and there’s no doubt the Cubans will be coming after Ward in the final. Maykel Masso, who qualified 2nd, has a PR of 27-2 and is no less than the 2015 World Youth champ. His teammate Juan Miquel Echevarria is an established 26-footer, as well. Then there’s Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece, who made WY finals last year and has broken through to nearly 27 feet. Still, don’t count out Ward. He came to CSI to battle the Cubans last year, but instead it was the beginning of the end with injuries hindering his ability to compete. This feels like redemption for him.
Team USA History: Marquise Goodwin is the last American to win gold here in 2008; he was preceded at the top of the medal stand by James Stallworth in 1990 and Neil Chance in 1992. Current Olympian Jarrion Lawson took bronze in ’12 and Travonn White just missed a medal with his 4th place finish in ’14.
Triple Jump – Cuban domination
(qualifying 7/20, final 7/21)
Records
Meet: 17.13m/56-2.5, Lazaro Martinez CUB 2014
WJR: 17.50/57-5, Volker Mai GDR 1985
AJR: 17.13/56-2.5, Will Claye 2009
Top 5 Entries
(by ’16 best; plus additional U.S.)
1. Christian Napoles CUB 55-6.25
2. Lazaro Martinez CUB 55-5.5 (56-6.75 in ’14)
3. Nazim Babayev AZE 55-2.75 (55-11 in ’15)
4. Pavlo Beznis UKR 54-3.75
5. Melvin Raffin FRA 54-0.5
…
7. Charles Brown USA 53-7.75
14. Armani Wallace USA 52-10.75
Analysis: There may not be any Ja’Mari Ward-like challenge to Cuban supremacy here. Ward himself tried to make Team USA here, too, but the strain of the long jump at Clovis had been too much. Charles Brown and Armani Wallace are strong, improving collegians, but neither they (or Ward, even if he’d made it) are at the 55-foot level.
Martinez, of course, is one of the few defending champs here, having won as a 16-year-old in Eugene. He hasn’t hit that mid-56 level recently, though, and teammate Christian Napoli – the ’15 World Youth champ and also familiar to Team NSAF preps who’ve traveled to Cuba – is a few centimeters ahead of him this year. The bottom line is that whoever is best this week will take the gold and the other the silver – or maybe bronze, if Nazim Babayev of Azerbaijan, 8th at World Indoor this year, can produce in the mid-55s or better.
Team USA History: Americans have medaled just three times in this event: Silver for Leonard Cobb in ’94, and bronzes for Greg Yedell in ’98 and Omar Craddock in ’10.
Hammer – Familiar pair leads Team USA
(qualifying 7/20, final 7/22)
Records
Meet: 85.57m/280-9, Ashraf Amgad Elseify QAT 2012
WJR: 85.57m/280-9, Ashraf Amgad Elseify QAT 2012
AJR: 80.79m/265-0, Conor McCullough 2010
Top 5 Entries
(by ’16 best; plus additional U.S.)
1. Bence Halasz HUN 271-1
2. Aleksi Jaakkola FIN 264-3
3. Ahmed Tarek Ismail EGY 261-11
4. Hlib Piskunov UKR 259-8
5. Aaron Kangas FIN 256-2
…
9. Robert Colantonio USA 243-2
12. Adam Kelly USA 239-5
Analysis: Hungary’s Bence Halasz has established himself as the man to beat, not just with his world-leading mark, but his consistency over 270 feet. Obviously, he’s motivated to bring home his country’s first gold in the event. Meanwhile, while Finland does not have a medal contender in the javelin, they have a pair in the hammer with Aleksi Jaakkola and Aaron Kangas. Both have been consistent as well.
Team USA has a pair of familiar faces in former Barrington HS (Rhode Island) teammates Robert Colantonio and Adam Kelly (now a Princeton freshman). They finished 1-2 at USA Juniors for the 2nd straight year; last year’s performance took them to Pan Am Juniors, where each made the final. Colantonio also made the World Youth final in ’15. Between them, they have nearly half a dozen NBN hammer and weight throw titles the past three years.
Team USA History: Americans had a great run in ’08-’10, as Walter Henning and Conor McCullough first fashioned a gold/silver finish, then McCullough followed two years later with his own victory. Team USA had no finalists in ’14, however.
High Jump – Carbin copy of Cali?
(qualifying 7/20, final 7/22)
Records
Meet: 2.37m/7-9.25, Steve Smith GBR 1992
WJR: 2.37m/7-9.25, Steve Smith GBR 1992
AJR: 2.31/7-7, Andra Manson 2002
Top 5 Entries
(by ’16 best; plus additional U.S.)
1. Jah-Nhai Perinchief BER 7-5
2. Oleksandr Barannikov UKR 7-5
3. Luis Zayas CUB 7-4.5
4. Christopher Moleya RSA 7-3.75
5. Yuji Hiramatsu JPN 7-3.25 (7-5.75 in ’15)
…
8. Darius Carbin USA 7-3.25
10. Michael Burke USA 7-2.25
Analysis: Jah-Nhai Perinchief has a chance to win the first-ever medal for Bermuda in any event if he can hold form here. An Iowa Central CC frosh, he was only 3rd at the NJCAA champs, but then he was also long- and triple-jumping to score points! Oleksandr Baranniov of Ukraine shares the top seed with him. One other to watch closely, though, is ’14 Youth Olympic silver medalist Yuji Hiramatsu of Japan, who has hit just 7-3.25 this year, but 7-5.75 in ’15.
Team USA is led by Darius Carbin, who had a wonderful performance in Cali last year at WY for bronze, then stepped up huge with his first career 7-3 jump to win USA Juniors. Moving up to 7-4 or 7-5 to be in medal contention will be tough, but he’s shown a knack for improving at the right time. Teammate Michael Burke is a UCLA frosh, so it will be two Californians for Team USA.
Team USA History: David Smith was the last medalist for Team USA with silver in 2010, while the last (and only) gold was captured by Andra Manson in 2002. No American made the final two years ago.
Decathlon: Germany vs. Cuba for the medals
(2nd day 7/20)
Records
Meet: 8,135 pts, Jiri Sykora CZE 2014
WJR: 8,397 pts, Torsten Voss GDR 1982
AJR: 8,037 pts, Harrison Williams 2015
Top 5 Entries
(by ’16 best; plus additional U.S.)
1. Jan Ruhrmann GER 7,972
2. Santiago Ford CUB 7,943
3. Niklas Kaul GER 7,910
4. Rik Taam NED 7,701
5. Rafael Noguera CUB 7,663
…
10. Cale Wagner USA 7,532
Original Analysis: With a pair of athletes ranked in the top 5 each, Germany and Cuba figure to rule the decathlon. Three have scored between 7,900 and 8,000 points: Germany’s Jan Ruhrmann and Niklas Kaul, and Cuba’s Santiago Ford. Kaul is the reigning World Youth champ off his World Best 8,002 from last year; he was known for his impressive javelin marks, including 256-6 in that meet (he also won the silver in the individual jav). Ford has competed twice in IAAF world meets, but with poor results. Team USA’s Cale Wagner, a U. of Nebraska frosh, earned his spot with his 7,532 PR at USA Juniors. He did not contest the event as a prep in that state, but scored 7,057 in the Big Ten meet with senior implements before his impressive meet in Clovis.
UPDATE: While the form chart looks a little upside down with a current top 4 of Maksim Andralotis (BLR) at 4,205 pts, Johannes Erm (EST) at 4,088 pts, Rik Taam (NED) at 4,062, and surprising American Cale Wagner at 4,031, it’s more all about who is good in what events. Reigning WY champ Niklas Kaul has moved up to 6th place and has that monster jav and other good day 2 events that still project to move him to the top. Wagner is actually behind his USA Juniors marks (slightly), and Day 2 is definitely his weaker day. He’ll need some big performances in the pole vault, throws and 1,500 to close it out if he wants to stay in the top 6 or better.
Team USA History: Gunnar Nixon’s gold in 2012 was the first Team USA medal ever in this event. In 2014, Harrison Williams and Gabe Moore were 6th and 8th.
WOMEN'S TRACK
3,000m run – Lots of question marks
(straight final)
Records
Meet: 8:46.86, Linli Zhang CHN 1992
WJR: 8:28.83, Zola Pieterse GBR 1985
AJR: 8:57.27, Ceci St. Geme 1982
Top 5 Entries
(plus additional U.S.)
1. Dalila Abdulkadir Gosa BRN 8:51.31
2. Konstanze Klosterhalfen GER 8:55.66
3. Sandrafelis Chebet Tuei KEN 8:57.72
4. Wakana Kabasawa JPN 9:06.47
5. Nozomi Tanaka JPN 9:08.15
…
7. Kate Murphy USA 9:10.51
9. Katie Rainsberger USA 9:11.60
Analysis: Kenya had won five straight golds before Mary Cain’s coronation in ’14 in Eugene. This year, again without an ultra-fast Kenyan in the lineup, the favorites’ roles fall to Dalila Abdulkadir Gosa of Bahrain and Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen. Gosa’s range between 1,500 (4:09.58) and XC (Asian Junior title) seems to have her well-suited for different race possibilities. Klosterhalfen has shown sub-9:00 consistency, but also being entered in the 1,500 her participation here is uncertain. Kenya’s top hope is Sandrafelis Chebet Tuei, who captured steeple bronze at WY last year.
The USA Juniors saw a terrific battle between Kate Murphy and Katie Rainsberger, both finishing just outside of 9:10 and just off the prep record of 9:08. Both have great range and Murphy, in particular, has a terrific kick. It would be a mistake for the others to run sit-and-kick with her. Both have excelled in NBN meets: Murphy both individually and with her Lake Braddock teammates in relays, and Rainsberger particularly in winning the NBNI mile in March.
Team USA History: Mary Cain won the first medal for Team USA in this event in ’14 with her sub-9:00 triumph. The previous bests had been 6th place finishes by Aisling Cuffe in ’12 and Laurynne Chetelat in ’08.
400m hurdles – No McLaughlin, no problem
(qualifying 7/20, semis 7/21, final 7/22)
Records
Meet: 54.70, Lashinda Demus USA 2002
WJR: 54.15, Sydney McLaughlin USA 2016
AJR: 54.15, Sydney McLaughlin 2016
Top 5 Entries
(based on '16, plus additional U.S.)
1. Anna Cockrell USA 55.89
2. Brandee’ Johnson USA 56.16
3. Shannon Kalawan JAM 56.29
4. Haruko Ishizuka JPN 56.75
5. Nicolee Foster JAM 56.99
Analysis: When you can still bring to the line two previous international championship medalists, then it’s a lot easier to survive losing the best in the world. Yes, Team USA’s gain for the Rio Summer Olympics of new prep and Junior record-setter Sydney McLaughlin – now becoming one of the sport’s most celebrated new stars on all levels – is Team USA’s loss for Bydgoszcz and the U20 Champs. But the “loss” is immensely tempered by the fact that Team USA still has stars like Anna Cockrell and Brandee’ Johnson to bring to the game.
We’ve seen Johnson win 200 bronze at the ’14 Youth Olympics, then 400H bronze behind McLaughlin’s gold last year at World Youth. Cockrell is no less than the Pan American Junior champ. They stand 2-3 in the world in Team USA’s best event, so hopes of a gold-silver sweep are still very strong. The competition won’t make it easy, though. Jamaica has Shannon Kalawan and Nicolee Foster under 57 seconds, as well. And there are at least three other athletes capable of high 56 or low 57 times.
Team USA History: This has been a pretty strong event for Team USA, with golds by Lashinda Demus (2002), Takecia Jameson (2008) and Shamier Little two years ago. There have been several medals of other colors, too.
100m dash – Another Hill-St. Fort battle
(qualifying 7/20, semis/final 7/21)
Records
Meet: 11.12, Veronica Campbell Brown JAM 2000
WJR: 10.88, Marlies Gohr GDR 1977
AJR: 10.98, Candace Hill 2016
Top 5 Entries
(plus additional U.S.)
1. Candace Hill USA 11.09 (10.98 in ’15)
2. Khalifa St. Fort TTO 11.16
3. Ewa Swoboda POL 11.18
4. Evelin Rivera COL 11.20
5. Imani-Lara Lansiquot GBR 11.25
…
8. Jayla Kirkland USA 11.41
Analysis: Could this be a replay of Cali last year? A spectacular World Youth 100 final in ’15 saw Candace Hill outrun Khalifa St. Fort, 11.08 to 11.19. Now both have the top two seeds again and could duplicate that gold-silver finish. Both have moved up to the professional level, but Hill did not make the Olympic team in a smoking fast Trials and, while St. Fort will run in Rio, it is here where she is a medal contender.
Team USA also brings back Jayla Kirkland from Cali, where she won bronze. The competition will be tougher here, but she’s still a medal contenders. They could also run Kirkland in the 200 only and Celera Barnes in the 100. The toughest competition could come from the hosts, as Ewa Swoboda is the 3rd seed at 11.18. She set a World U20 mark in the indoor 60 this past winter at 7.07.
Team USA History: Five times U.S. runners have won gold, the last being Jeneba Tarmoh in ’08. While ’12 went without a Team USA medal, there was silver for Takeia Pinckney in ’10 and bronze for Kaylin Whitney in ’14.
800m run – Watson, Miller in position for medals
(qualifying was 7/19, semis 7/20, final 7/21)
Records
Meet: 2:00.06, Elena Mirela Lavric ROU 2008
WJR: 1:54.01, Pamela Jelimo KEN 2008
AJR: 1:58.21, Ajee’ Wilson 2013
Top 5 Entries
(based on '16, plus additional U.S.)
1. Samantha Watson USA 2:02.91
2. Aaliyah Miller USA 2:02.96
3. Esther Chebet UGA 2:03.28
4. Josephine Chelangat KEN 2:03.54
5. Alina Ammann GER 2:03.57
Analysis: Interestingly, the top 6 on the World list are either running other events or not entered, so at #7 is none other than ’15 World Youth champ Sammy Watson – seen by many as the heir apparent to Ajee’ Wilson, who also won a Youth title before taking a Junior crown (see below). Watson has that same sharpening sense of pace and seems to control whatever race she’s in, usually keeping them slow and using her kick. It can’t be comforting to young 800 meter runners to know that she’ll also be eligible for the ’18 U20 champs, too!
Watson won a terrific USA Junior race with Aaliyah Miller, whose dramatic improvement from 2:06 to 2:02 was one of the stories of the meet. She lacks the experience of Watson, but has tremendous talent to burn, as Texas fans have seen for years. The field is crowded with other 2:03 talent, though, including Victoria Tachinski of Canada – who came down to dominate NBNO last month. NOTE: Watson, Miller and Tachinski all made it through the first round.
Team USA History: Ajee Wilson is the standard bearer with the only USA gold coming from her 2012 performance. No American made the final in ’14.
400m dash: A return to form could spell gold for Irby
(qualifying was 7/19, semis 7/20, final 7/21)
Records
Meet: 50.50, Ashley Spencer USA 2012
WJR: 49.42, Grit Breuer GER 1991
AJR: 49.89, Sanya Richards-Ross 2004
Top 5 Entries
(plus additional U.S.)
1. Junelle Bromfield JAM 51.74
2. Tiffany James JAM 52.06
3. Roxana Gomez CUB 52.26
4. Yinka Ajayi NGR 52.27
5. Jessica Thornton AUS 52.33
…
8. Lynna Irby USA 52.51 (51.79 in ’15)
13. Karrington Winters USA 53.34
Updated Analysis: A big question from a US perspective coming in was whether or not we’ll see the pretty good “springtime” Lynna Irby or the eye-popping “summer 2015” Lynna Irby. No one will forget the monster PR 51.79 the Indiana prep unleashed in winning World Youth silver last summer. That kind of mark would be fighting for the gold here. Irby was ranked 8th coming in based her on ’16 best of 52.51. In Tuesday’s prelims, she qualified a close 3rd overall to the semis, so it would seem a medal is definitely in play.
Otherwise, Jamaica could win gold here for the first time with Junelle Bromfield, a 51.74 performer. In fact, a gold-silver sweep would be possible given that Tiffany James is next on the list at 52.06. Among the bronze contenders is Roxana Gomez, the Cuban who won CSI in ’15 and also ran well at World Youth and Pan Am Junior finals. Karrington Winters is the other U.S. entry, hoping to improve enough to make the final with a 53.34 PR. All were solid in prelims.
Team USA History: Americans have some good success here, winning four golds. That includes gold-silver by Monique Henderson and Sanya Richards-Ross in ’02 and gold by Natasha Hastings in ’04. Most recently, Ashley Spencer set the meet record with her ’12 triumph and Kendall Baisden and Olivia Baker went 1-3 in ’14.
WOMEN'S FIELD
Javelin: Kitaguchi the clear favorite
(qualifying was 7/19, final 7/20)
Records
Meet: 63.01m/206-8, Vira Rebryk UKR 2008
WJR: 63.86m/209-6, Yulemis Aguilar CUB 2015
AJR: 56.59m/185-8, Madison Wiltrout USA 2015
Top 5 Entries
(by ’16 best; plus additional U.S.)
1. Haruka Kitaguchi JPN 201-4
2. Eda Tugsuz TUR 193-5
3. Fabienne Schonig GER 188-4
4. Jo-Ane Van Dyk RSA 184-5
5. Jiajia Chen CHN 181-8
…
22. Katelyn Gochenour USA 171-1
31. Emma Fitzgerald USA 167-9
Updated Analysis: The top two seeds, Japan’s Haruka Kitaguchi and Turkey’s Eda Tugsuz, qualified easily at 184-3 and 189-6, respectively. Hanna Tarasiuk of Belarus impressed with 2nd overall with a PR 185-0, but 188-footer Fabienne Schonig of Germany missed out by a spot. Neither Team USA thrower fared particularly well, with Katelyn Gochenour and Emma Fitzgerald finishing 32nd and 34th overall at 155-11 and 151-10.
Team USA History: No American has ever medaled in the women’s jav, with the best finish being 7th by Lyndsay Johnson in 2002. Haley Crouser was 11th in ’12, but in ’14 neither Megan Glasmann nor Rebekah Wales made the final.
Shot Put: Golden Age for U.S. preps
(qualifying 7/20am, final 7/20pm)
Records
Meet: 18.76m/61-6.75, Cheng Xiaoyan CHN 1994
WJR: 20.54m/67-4.75, Astrid Kumbernuss GDR 1989
AJR: 18.35m/60-2.5, Raven Saunders USA 2015
Top 5 Entries
(by ’16 best; plus additional U.S.)
1. Alina Kenzel GER 57-4.25
2. Alyssa Wilson USA 55-9.5
3. Maria Orozco MEX 55-6.25
4. Katharina Maisch GER 54-7.5
5. Elena Bruckner USA 54-7
Analysis: The women’s shot is certainly one of the best field events for the U.S., showcasing the Golden Age of the shot among preps. Alyssa Wilson took the World Junior lead with her monster put at NBNO, only to see Kenzel take it a week later. But that takes nothing away from Wilson’s epic season, which shifted into high gear after her late-season indoor losses to in-state rival Nickolette Dunbar. A medal here would put a great cap on the season and Wilson would still have her senior year to chase Raven Saunders’ national indoor and outdoor records.
Elena Bruckner is certainly a medal contender, as well, with her PR close to the top 3 and herself having had a great last few years. Both Germans are 19, or nearly 19, and Kenzel is an experienced internationalist, having taken 7th at the ’13 WYC and thrown at ’14 WJC. Orozco was 2nd in the ’14 Youth Olympic Games, but struggled in Cali last year. Both Americans are new to this scene, but both – especially Wilson – have been very consistent. Could it turn into a USA-GER dual meet?
Team USA History: Former prep record-holder Michelle Carter won WJ Gold in 2004, then current prep record-holder Raven Saunders took silver in 2014. Both were NSAF indoor and outdoor national champs and both are now repping Team USA in the 2016 Summer Olympics!
