CONTACT: Melissa Beasley
Communications Coordinator
USA Track & Field
(876) 341-4983 (Jamaica Cell)
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.usatf.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 16, 2002
Shields wins silver at opening day of World Juniors
KINGSTON – Team USA men’s captain Sean Shields (Arizona) capped off an
exciting opening day at the IAAF World Junior Track & Field Championships in
Kingston, Jamaica, winning the first medal of the competition for the U.S.,
a silver in the men’s shot put. “I got off one good throw all day, but it
was enough for the silver medal and I will take that,” said Shields about
his fifth round mark of 20.54 meters/67 feet, 4.75 inches following Tuesday’
s competition. Teammate Jeremy Silverman (UCLA) finished 12th in the final
with a mark of 18.38m/60-3.75.
The opening festivities also included a well-choreographed opening ceremony
with the traditional parade of nations and a welcoming speech from IAAF
President Lamine Diack.
Representing Team USA in the parade of nations was Wes Felix (flag bearer)
along Shalonda Solomon and Briona Reynolds. The three U.S. representative
were voted to march in the parade of nations by their fellow teammates.
Tuesday also saw several U.S. athletes turn in fast times and advance to the
semi-finals in their competitions. American Junior 400m record holder Sanya
Richards (St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) HS) and 2000 Olympian Monique Henderson
(UCLA) both won their respective heats in the women’s 400m dash. Richards
ran 53.14 for the automatic qualifier, while Henderson ran 52.81, the
fastest time of the day.
Donovan Kilmartin (Eagle (ID) HS) is in third place with 4061 points
following day one of the men’s decathlon. Kilmartin posted personal bests in
two of the five events he competed in on Tuesday. Kilmartin’s 10.99 in the
100m and 7.37m/24-2.25 in the long jump both bettered his previous bests.
Kilmartin finished off the day with a time of 50.82 in the 400m dash. In the
high jump, he was second in his group with a mark of 2.04m/6-8.25 and tossed
the shot put 13.62m/44-8.25. He will finish the 10-event competition on
Wednesday.
In the men’s 400m preliminaries, Darold Williamson (Baylor) and Jonathan
Fortenberry (South Carolina) both advanced to the Wednesday’s semis with
wins in their heats. Williamson, the number one ranked 400m junior in the
world ran a time of 46.72, while Fortenberry won his heat in 47.16.
Future teammates Kenneth Ferguson (Mumford (MI) HS) and Bershawn Jackson
(Central (FL) HS) also won their respective heats in the 400H. Ferguson and
Jackson, who will both attend the University of South Carolina in the fall,
ran 50.38 and 51.29 respectively.
On the homestretch, Team USA advanced all four of their 100m sprinters to
Wednesday’s semi final. For the men, 2002 U.S. Junior Champion Rashaad Allen
(CSU-Northridge) and Willie Hordge (Forest Brook (TX) HS) each ran two
rounds of 100m heats. Allen ran 10.48 in the first round and 10.34 in the
quarterfinals. Hordge won both his qualifying heats in 10.59 and 10.25
respectively.
For the women, Marshevet Hooker (Southwest (TX) HS) and Lauryn Williams
(Miami) advanced to Wednesday afternoon’s semi final. Hooker’s 11.65 was the
third fastest time of the day, while Williams ran 11.69 to win her heat.
Also advancing on Tuesday was American Junior pole vault record holder Lacy
Janson (Florida State). Janson cleared 3.90m/12-9.5 and will compete in
Thursday’s final at Kingston’s National Stadium. Teammate Julene Bailey
(Skyview (ID) HS) did not reach the final with a mark of 3.70m/12-1.5.
In the men’s 800m, Frank Francois (Tennessee) and Richard Smith (South Lakes
(VA) HS) both advanced to Wednesday’s semi final. Francois ran 1:50.10 and
finished second in heat three for the automatic qualifier. Smith finished
fourth (1:50.17) in an extremely fast heat and qualified on time. In the
women’s javelin, Lindsey Johnson (BYU) qualified for the final with a mark
of 50.87m/166-10. Teammate Rachel Walker (Benton (LA) HS) did not advance
with a final mark of 38.86m/127-6.
In other finals on Tuesday, 2002 U.S. Junior 3000m champion Sara Bei
finished 15th in a hot and humid competition. Bei ran 9:38.92 in the final,
while teammate Lindsey Zinn (Purdue) finished 19th in 10:00.37. Rod Koborsi
(Georgetown) finished 11th with a time of 14:24.91 in the finals of the men’
s 5000m, just after the women’s 3000m. In qualifying for the women’s triple
jump, Sheena Gordon (McDowell (PA) HS) and Brooklyn Hann (Kansas) did not
advance to the finals. Gordon just missed qualifying with a mark of
12.81m/42-0.5, while Hann was not far behind at 12.76m/41-10.5.
For all the latest news on the 2002 IAAF World Junior Track & Field
Championships, visit the USATF Web site at www.usatf.org. For complete
results from the World Junior Championships, visit www.kingston2002.org.
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