Day Four Report from World Youth Championships - Evening Session

by Jim Spier

 

Heptathlon Javelin

Alexa Harmon-Thomas (Lawrence Free State, Lawrence, KS) escaped a disaster getting a legal throw after fouling twice.  She only managed only 70-9.75 worth 318 points, giving her a total of 4403. She moved from 5th after the long jump, to 21st after the javelin.  Alexa is a spectacular athlete but, like with many Americans, could be much better in the weights.  The overall favorite, Morgan Lake of Great Britain, after a disastrous long jump, managed only 101-1 in the javelin and is in sixth place.

Heptathlon 800m

Alexa ran a personal best 2:21.99 to finish with a fine 5200 points.  She finished 16th.  The winner was Celena Leffler of Germany with 5747 points.  Morgan Lake of Great Britain did not show for the 800m.

 

 

 

 

Pole Vault Finals – Girls

The opening height is 11-11.75.  Zoe Mc Kinley (Grapevine, TX) made it on her second attempt.  Desiree Freier (Northwest, Justin, TX) passed at that height and missed on her first attempt at 12-5.5.  Mc Kinley made her first attempt at that height and Freier on her second.  The bar moved to 12-11.5 with 11 remaining.   Desiree made it on her second attempt, and Zoe went out at this height, finishing 11th.    The bar was moved up to 13-3.5 with 9 girls remaining.  Desiree missed at 13-3.5 and finished 8th overall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

200m Semifinals – Girls (top 2 in each heat and next 2 fastest advance to the final)

Ariana Washington (Poly, Long Beach, CA) looks like the one to beat (for now), running an easy 23.19 [0.0] just .01 off her PB.  Hannah Cunliffe (Federal Way, WA) also ran relaxed, finishing second to Irene Ekelund of Sweden, 23.56 to 23.63.


200m Semifinals – Boys (top 2 in each heat and next 2 fastest advance to the final)

Noah Lyles (TC Williams, Alexandria, VA) ran a decent race from lane 6, gaining at the end, but managing only 4th in 21.58 [-2.5].

Triple Jump Final – Boys

Keandre Bates (Burges, El Paso, TX) opened with 49-11.75 [0.2] and was in 7th after the first round.  He moved up to 6th in round 2 with 50-7.5 [0.1].  He improved slightly in round 3 to 50-8.25 [1.4], sitting in 9th and not moving on.  He had a great meet, nonetheless.

400m Hurdles Final – Girls

Samantha Gonzalez (Creekview, Carrollton, TX) ran a ragged first half of the race, then came on strong at the end to finish in 5th, running 59.74 close to her PR.

Discus Final – Boys

Reno Tufuuli (Liberty, Henderson, NV) was in 6th after a first round with a throw of 177-0.  He got a PR in round 2 of 196-6, moving him into 4th .  He fouled on his 3rd attempt and finished the round in 5th, moving on to the final.  He finished 7th overall with his 196-6 throw.

400m Hurdles Finals – Boys

One of the stranger races I have ever seen!  Marlon Humphrey (Hoover, AL) one of the favorites, did not start due to back issues.  The Kenyan Geofrey Cheruiyot, one of the leaders after the 7th hurdles, crashed the 8th hurdle and went down.  Then Okeen Williams (Jamaica), the world youth leader, crashed the 8th hurdle and also went down.  That opened the door for Marvin Williams (Jamaica), who won in a world youth leading time of 50.39.  Yang Wang of China was second in 50.78, and Kenneth Selmon (Pace Academy, Atlanta, GA) got the bronze in 51.30.

1500m Final – Girls

Alexa Efraimson (Camas, WA) showed now fear.  Running in a relative slow pack early, she was the leader after 400m at 69.93.  The packed stayed together until a little before the bell lap.  Then the Ethiopians went and Alexa stayed with them.  She was 2nd with 200m to go when the Ethiopians pulled away, it was Efraimson 3rd and Bobby Clay of Great Britain chasing.  Efraimson held off Clay for the bronze, running very close to her PR, 4:16.07.  Anna Maxwell (San Lorenzo Valley, Felton, CA) ran a great race as well, finishing 9th in a PR of 4:23.75.  It is the second medal ever in this event, the other being Jordan Hasay’s silver in 2007.

 

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