Hana Moll claims PV Gold; more NSAF alums qualify: NSAF @ World U20s, Day 4 A.M.

by Jim Spier

  

Due to the torrential rain that fell yesterday afternoon, the World U20 Championship Women’s Pole Vault Final was moved to this morning – one of the very few finals that would not be contested in an evening session (the others are the Racewalks).

Given their ranking as #1-3 on the World U20 list, it would have been an upset if at least one of the Moll sisters come away with the gold.  This time it was Hana Moll, thanks to a dramatic 3rd-attempt clearance at 4.35m (14-3.5).  Amanda Moll, the 2022 Nike Outdoor Nationals champ and current HS record-holder, had to settle for 5th this time. 

Hana, who was the runner-up at NON, had won the same meet in Eugene a year earlier.  The future of women’s pole vaulting is bright with these two pushing each other.  The Gold was the 4th won by Team USA and 7th medal overall.

In chronological order, here is the rest of the morning’s competition on the 4th of 6 days at the World U20s.


Men’s Javelin Qualifying

(Best 12 of the 18 member field advance to the final)

Evan Niedrowski (Monmouth U/Wyomissing, PA) had a big third round throw (227-8) to finish fifth in his group.  He had to wait until the completion of Group B to see if he advanced … and he did, finishing 10th overall.  It took 226-00 to make the final.  If 2018, it took 226-05.

Evan was only one of two Americans to attain the World U20 qualifying standard of 226-04.  Jack Larriviere (228-10), high schooler from Louisiana, who was not at the USATF U20 meet.  As a prep, Evan trained with the Javelin Factory under NSAF Project Javelin Coach Barry Krammes.


Women 100m Hurdles Qualifying

(Top 3 and next best 6 times advance to the semis)

Eddiyah Frye (U of Georgia/St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, FL), 17th in the 60m Hurdles at the 2019 NBNI, was in fourth through the first half the race but came on strong at the end to finish second in 13.57.  Her best is 13.26 in running second at the USATF U20 meet.

Jalaysia Smith (USC/De Soto, TX) led from the start and had no problem winning her heat, running 13.42.  She is the USATF U20 Champion with a best of 13.05, run in round 1 of the 2022 NCAA Division 1 meet.

After round 1, the leader is Alexis James (Jamaica) at 13.04 (PB), following by her teammate Kerrica Hill (13.20).  Jalaysia Smith is 4th overall at 13.42 with Eddiyah Frye 11th (13.57).


Men 800m Round 1

(Top 3 and next best 3 times advance to the semis)

Miles Brown (U of Michigan/Novi, MI) was the 2021 Nike Outdoor Nationals 800m runner-up (best of 1:47.37).  It’s a good thing he finished in the top 3, since it was a very slow tactical race won in 1:51.37.  Miles was in total control the entire race, finishing third 1:51.82 and automatically qualifying to the next round.  As it turned out, his was the slowest time of the 24 athletes.

Samuel Rodman (Princeton/Liberty, Bealeton, VA) was 7th at the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Champs (1:46.96).  Running in the 7th and final qualifying heat, Sam was 6th coming around the final turn.  It appeared he was in total control as he gradually eased down the homestretch, finishing 2nd in 1:50.36.  It is a good thing since the “bubble” at that point was 1:50.22 so he would not have made it had he not been in the top 3.


Men’s Triple Jump Qualifying

Solomon Washington (U of Texas/Stony Point, Round Rock, TX), the 2021 Nike Outdoor Nationals runner-up, was the first jumper in his group.  It was “one and done” for Solomon, jumping a PR 52-00 and automatically qualifying (auto qualifying mark 51-10).  Solomon’s prior best jump was 51-01.5 done at the NCAA West Prelims.  He moves to the top of the US Junior list with that mark.

Floyd Whitaker (U of Minnesota/Highland Regional, Blackwood, NJ) was the 2021 Nike Outdoor Nationals Champ and a member of the NSAF Triple Jump Project.  He was totally out of advancing until his last jump (which happened to be the next-to-last jump in his group).  He then jumped a near-PR 51-00, qualifying 10th overall.

Damilare Olukosi (Nigeria/Fort Bend Travis, Richmond, TX) is the 2022 Nike Outdoor Nationals champion and US High School leader at 51-08.75.  He graduated Magna Cum Laude from high school and will attend TCU in the fall.  He did not have a good day, jumping 48-11.75 and finishing 18th overall.

Aren Spencer (Barbados/Baylor) was 3rd at the 2021 Nike Outdoor Nationals.  He jumped 49-04.25 here, finishing just ahead of Olukosi in 17th. 

Federico Bruno (Italy/Benzie Central, Benzonia, MI).  He had entered as a high school senior at the 2020 Nike Indoor Nationals after jumping 46-08 to win the Michigan State High School indoor championships.  Two years later, representing Italy, he had improved to 51-08.5.  He qualified here, jumping 51-05, the 9th overall qualifier.

The 2021 Nike Outdoor Nationals Triple Jump

1. Floyd Whitaker
2. Solomon Washington
3. Aren Spencer, Barbados (Baylor)
5. Johnny Brackins
10. Damilare Olukosi, Nigeria (TX HS)

So 5 athletes from last year’s Nike Outdoor Nationals Triple Jump finals are competing at the World U20 championships in Cali!


Women’s Pole Vault Final

Hana Moll (Capital, Olympia, WA) came in as the 2022 Nike Outdoor Nationals runnerup (and 2021 champ) and World U20 #3.  She was “clean” through 13-09.5, then had one miss at 14-01.25, putting her in second at that point between the Germans Sistermann and Ohrt. 

At 14-03.5, those three missed their first two attempts.  Hana, jumping third after those two, watched Sistermann and Ohrt miss their 3rd attempt at that height.  Hana was guaranteed a silver medal; a gold if she cleared.  And she did, becoming the World U20 Champion.  Hana then had the bar moved to 14-07.25, at which she missed 3 times.

Sister Amanda Moll, 2022 Nike Outdoor Nationals champ and World U20 Leader, wound up 5th on this day.  She had a great second attempt at 14-01.25, which would have put her in 3rd place, but hit the bar coming down.  She finished at 13-09.25.

Heather Abadie (Canada/Texas A+M/St. Michael, Baton Rouge, LA), =12th at the 2021 Nike Outdoor Nationals, finished 8th at 13-05.25.


Women’s 1500m Round 1

Addison Wiley (North, Huntington, IN), 2022 Nike Outdoor Nationals 800m Champion (and 1 Mile Champ in 2021), made sure she was in the mix, leading most of the way.  It was a very slow pace for more than two laps (2:25+ at 800m), but then with the field pressuring Wiley, the pace increased to 3:33.83 at 1200.  Wiley was passed down the homestretch by Ethiopian Mebriht Mekonen, but still finished a strong 2nd in 4:19.39 to easily advance.  Addy will be attending the U of Colorado in the fall.

Mia Barnett (U of Virginia/Crescenta Valley, La Crescenta, CA), 11th in the 2019 NBNO mile, ran as controlled a race as Wiley.  She was leading for 2 laps, then was passed by the world leader Birke Haylom of Ethiopia.  She was 2nd until the very last minute where she was passed near the finish, but automatically qualified in finishing third (4:18.51).

Both Americans have considerably faster PRs (Wiley 4:07c and Barnett 4:11.32) and will expect to contend for medals in the final.

Carmen Alder (Caisalitin) (Ecuador/Brigham Young/Pinecrest, Southern Pines, NC) was 29th in the 2019 NBNO Mile, and second in the 2018 Great American Cross Country Festival Race of Champions.  She was 9th in her heat (4:31.16) and will not advance.


Women’s 200m Round 1

Jayla Jamison (U of South Carolina/Airport, West Columbia, SC), 3rd at 2021 Nike Outdoor Nationals, had no problem in qualifying, winning her heat in 23.36.

Mia Brahe-Pederson (Lake Oswego, WA), 2022 Nike Outdoor Nationals Champ, 7th in 100m yesterday, easily won her heat as well, clocking 23.25, the fastest time of the day.  Jayla had the 2nd fastest. 

(In last year’s 2021 Nike Outdoor Nationals 100 Meters, Jayla Jamison was 2nd and Mia 4th)


Women’s Heptathlon Day 2

What follows is an event by event summary for both athletes, comparing their current personal bests with their performance at the World U20 Championships. 

JaiCieonna Gero-Holt is a freshman.  Bryanna Craig is headed to Louisiana Tech in the fall.  Craig is a native of Millville, NJ, but moved from there after her sophomore year in high school, then to Coronado HS (Lubbock, TX), then finally to Ruston HS as a senior from which she graduated.  Dad Raffael, her coach, was the 1999 NSIC Pentathlon champion and finished 4th in the high jump at the 1999 AOC.
 

JaiCieonna Gero-Holt

USATF U20       --- World U20      
Event Mark Score Cum. Score   Event Mark Score Cum. Score
100mh 14.62 892 892   100mh 14.76 874 874
HJ 5-11.75 991 1883   HJ 6-00.5 1029 1903
SP 39-06 664 2547   SP 38-11.5 653 2556
200m 25.69 824 3371   200m 25.85 811 3367
LJ 18-05.25 735 4106   LJ 17-09.25 677 4044
JT 127-01 643 4749   JT 117-03 586 4630
800m 2:33.29 652 5401   800m      

 

Bryanna Craig

USATF U20       --- World U20      
Event Mark Score Cum. Score   Event Mark Score Cum. Score
100mh 14.55 902 902   100mh 14.65 888 888
HJ 5-07.75 879 1781   HJ 5-07.75 879 1767
SP 34-07 565 2346   SP 30-02 477 2244
200m 25.11 877 3223   200m 25.72 822 3066
LJ 18-06.25 744 3967   LJ 18-02.5 715 3781
JT 118-00 590 4557   JT 118-06 593 4374
800m 2:19.42 831 5388   800m      

Long Jump:  Both JaiCieonna and Bryanna did not have especially good long jumps. JaiCieonna was in real trouble with a best of 16-08.75 until improving to 17-09.25 in round 3.  JaiCieonna is sitting in 10th after the Long Jump, and Bryanna 18th.

Javelin:  Probably one of each athlete’s weakest events, JaiCieonna threw almost 10 feet less than at the USATF U20 meet, but Bryanna had a slight PR.  After this event, JaiCieonna sits 12th and Bryanna 19th.


US Placings in this morning’s finals:

  • PV Hana Moll 1st
  • PV Amanda Moll 5th

Total of 7 medals now for the U.S., including 4 golds


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