Storylines to watch at the World Youth Trials

By Michael Newman

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Lisle, Ill – The fourth USATF World Youth Trials begins its two day qualifying meet Tuesday at the Benedictine University Track Complex. Conditions look to be favorable for the athletes with temperatures in the mid 70’s with chances of rain on both competition days. Some of the top athletes born in 1998 and 1999 (16-17 years old / usually completing their sophomore and junior seasons) will vie for spots on the United States National Team that will compete at the IX IAAF World Youth Championships in Cali, Columbia from July 15 to 19.

There are no automatics in this meet meaning that even if you win, you are still not guaranteed a spot on the National team. The performances at this meet will be weighed by a selection committee on the decision of who makes the teams.

Some of the top sophomores and juniors in the nation are scheduled to compete including athletes that are currently on top of the DyeStat TFX Leaderboards and that have won national competitions over the past two weekends. Here are a few of the storylines to keep an eye on Tuesday and Wednesday in this meet in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Hill leads an elite field in the Girls Sprints

Candace Hill (Conyers GA) has wowed the crowds at the Brooks PR Invitational nine days ago running the fastest time ever for a female high school athlete 9and US Junior Athlete) in the 100 Meter Dash when she crossed the line in 10.98. She will be the face that everyone will be watching in this meet as she has the fastest seed times in the 100 and 200 Meter Dash events. She will have company up front to perhaps push her to even faster performances. Jayla Kirkland (Birmingham AL) ran a wind aided 11.33 to win the New Balance Outdoor Nationals 100 the same day that Hill turned in her record run. Kirkland also won the 200 in North Carolina and should make her presence known in this meet.

Lauren Rain Williams (Westlake Village CA) will also push for a top spot in this meet. She comes in with an 11.37 seed time in the 100 achieved in finishing fourth in the Brooks PR race with Hill. Williams has also run 23.16 this year in the 200 and could push for the top spot. Hill enters with the top seed time (23.05) with Kirkland at 23.11. We could see a sub 23 time to win this race if conditions are favorable.

Josephus Lyles and the mid sprints

After what his brother Noah did this past weekend at the US Junior Nationals electrifying the Hayward Field crowd in winning the 100 and then that 200 ahead of Michael Norman, it is now Josephus Lyles (Alexandria VA) time to take the spotlight. But that is what has happened between the two brothers again this season. You know when either of them enters the blocks, something spectacular could happen.

Josephus the big favorite in the 400 Meter Dash. He is coming off of his New Balance Outdoor Nationals win where he went under 46 seconds for the first time (45.99). His closest competition is sophomore Howard Fields (Marvel TX) but his seed time of 47.34 is more than a second behind that of Lyles.

Lyles ran 21.02 to win the Virginia 6A 200 championship at the beginning of the month. He will be pressed in this event by Texas 5A State Champion Shamon Ehiemua (Missouri City TX). The sophomore ran 20.89 to win his state championship. Another athlete to keep an eye on is Josh Eiker (Galesburg IL). The Illinois 2A state champion in the 100 and the 200 has been close to going under 21 seconds this season having run a 21.02 best at his sectional qualifying meet in May.

Girls’ weight events should be electric

Sophia Rivera (Brentwood MO) has emerged as one of the top Girls High school athletes in the country in the weight disciplines. That was demonstrated on Saturday in the Shot Put at the US Junior Championships when she qualified for the Pan American Junior Championships finishing second and also taking over the national high school lead in the event with a 53-5 ¾ put. Rivera is scheduled to aim for a Colombia trip in this meet but the competition that she will face should be fierce.

Three of the top four athletes nationally in the Shot put will face off. Nicolette Dunbar (Whippany NJ) achieved a 51-2 ¾ put in winning the New Jersey Meet of Champions at the beginning of the month. She also finished second at the New Balance Nationals more than a week ago making her a threat to challenge Rivera. A surprise in this event could be KD Young (Warrensburg IL) who achieved a 50-10 put earlier in the year. The two time Illinois 1A champion in this event had the second longest put indoors. She could be a threat in this competition.

The Javelin Throw could be the best of all the Girls Field Events even though there are only five athletes registered to compete. Nevertheless, this is an event not to miss on Wednesday morning. Rivera is currently ranked #2 in the country with a 175-10 throw achieved at a meet in April. Katelyn Gochenor (Omaha NE) has thrown 167-2 this year. While Rivera finished seventh last weekend at US Juniors, Gochenor placed ninth. The two will be pushing each other for the top spot. The one athlete to watch is Tairyn Montgomery (Redondo Beach CA) who finished fifth ahead of the two last weekend. Even though her seasonal best of 157-2 was achieved at the Arcadia Multis in April, Montgomery appears to be coming on strong. Montgomery is comfortable at this facility. She threw 163-0 last July at the Chicagoland Throws Series Finals.

The Boys Field Events go higher and higher

Jaron Brooks (Lexington KY) caught the nation’s attention at the end of February when he cleared 7-1 to win the University of Kentucky High School Invitational. He followed that up by winning the New Balance Indoor Nationals. He’s continued his steady climb by winning the Kentucky 4A State Championship in both the High Jump and the Long Jump. Last week, he cleared 7-1 ½ in winning the New Balance Outdoor Nationals. The junior will be the big favorite in the High Jump Wednesday afternoon.

The next great athlete in the Pole Vault is Armand DuPlantis (Lafayette LA). He currently has the fifth best performance in the nation (17-4) and he is only a freshman. Riley Richards (China Spring TX) has cleared 16-6 this season and could be DuPlantis’ chief competition.

Jordan Geist (Saxonburg PA) is one to watch in both the Shot Put and the Discus. Geist currently has the third longest put nationally (69-1). Adrian Piperi (The Woodlands TX) and Isaiah Rogers (Smyrna GA) should be Geist’s top competitor. The Pennsylvania sophomore has thrown 186-2 to win the Discus at the 3A State Meet. Piperi, the Texas 6A state champion, has thrown 188-2 this year and could be the favorite.

A double for Watson?

Sammy Watson (Henrietta NY) is one of the most versatile Girls distance runners nationally. The sophomore won the New York State Championships in the 1500 Meter Run running a top ten national time (4:25.24, US #9). She then came back to win the 400 Meter Dash with the current #3 national time (52.69). At New Balance Outdoor Nationals, she ran a 65 second opening 400, then closed with a 62 second final lap to put away her competition for the win.

Watson is entered in both the 800 and 400 in this meet. We will find out if she runs both during prelims on Tuesday. There is almost a two hour recovery time for her between the two events. Watson has the fastest seed time in the 400 Meter Dash. Her chief competition could come from Florida sophomore Symone Mason (Miami FL) who ran 53.07 to finish second at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals.

Watson’s chief competition in the 800 will come from Julia Heymach (Houston TX) who ran 2:05.64 to finish third at the Brooks PR Invitational. Heymach will also be the favorite in the 1500 if she decides to run that. Sage Hurta (Hamilton NY) finished third at the New York State Championships in the 800 and has run 2:09.43 twice this season. She could also be a threat in that event.

Hurdles feature Grimes and McLaughlin

Norman Grimes (Canyon TX) ran a US #3 50.59 to finish second on Saturday at the US Junior Nationals qualifying for the Pan Am Juniors at the end of July. He is entered in both hurdle events in this meet. He will be the big favorite in the longer hurdle race. He will, however, be challenged in the 110 High Hurdles.  Grimes ran 13.71 to win the Great Southwest Classic at the beginning of the month. Damion Thomas (Orlando FL) has come on strong winning the Florida 4A State Championship and then a 13.62 wind aided time for the win at the Brooks PR Invitational. Isaiah Lucas (Houston TX) finished second behind Grimes at Great Southwest, but won the Texas 6A State Championship with a 13.37 wind aided time.

Just as Grimes is tough in the Boys longer hurdle races, the same holds true for Sydney McLaughlin (Scotch Plains NJ). The New Jersey super-soph has been untouchable in the 400 Hurdles going undefeated and running the nation’s best time (55.87) at the New Balance Outdoor Championships last week. Sophomore Reonna Collier (Vacaville CA) has come on strong the past two weeks having finished second at US Junior Nationals this past weekend. Her 57.27 personal best is evidence that she could push McLaughlin into the low 55’s.

The Girls 100 Hurdles should be hot. Collier ran 13.47 to finish second at Brooks PR. The Texas duo of Tonea Marshall (Seguin TX) and Alexis Duncan (DeSoto TX) will push for the win. Marshall ran a wind aided 13.12 to finish second at New Balance Outdoors. Duncan was fourth in that race.