Braian Toledo winning the South American Youth Championships (© Oscar Muñoz/Fedachi)
25 July 2011The USA easily dominated the 16th Pan American Junior Championships over the weekend (22-24) at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida, a venue that witnessed fine sprinting and six event records.
With a delegation of 45 men and 36 women, the host team collected 59 medals (25 gold, 22 silver and 12 bronze) to confirm their continental supremacy, well ahead of Jamaica (3-5-2), Bahamas (3-2-4), Brazil (3-1-7), Colombia (3-0-1) and Trinidad and Tobago (2-3-0). Peru, Puerto Rico, Argentina and Grenada also savoured gold. Seventeen nations won at least one medal.
A breezy weekend witnessed fine sprinting and far throws as well. USA’s Eddie Lovett clocked the second fastest 110m Hurdles time (junior height) in 13.14 after running a faster wind-aided 13.03 in the semi-finals. The swiftest time at junior height is 13.08 at was set by his countryman Wayne Davis at the 2009 Pan American Junior Champs in Trinidad and Tobago.
USA’s Roy Smith was a fast second in 13.24. Trinity Wilson took the women’s 100m Hurdles in 13.17.
Bahamas’ Anthonique Strachan led the way with three medals, including the 200m and CAC junior record of 22.70. One week after clinching the 200m silver at CAC Senior Championships in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, the 17-year-old Strachan first grabbed the 100m bronze and went on to improve her 200m best by two tenths of a second, the fastest time by a junior and a Bahamian of any age this year. The time now ranks her an equal 10th on the all-time junior lists.
Strachan capped an excellent weekend anchoring the Bahamian squad to the 4x100m Relay gold. The team starter was 15-year-old Devynne Charlton, the youngest champion in Miramar this weekend.
The 100m also produced quick times under a strong tail wind. Trinidad and Tobago’s Michelle Lee Ahye ran 11.15 (+2.6) in the semifinals and blazed to a legal 11.25 in the final to claim her first international title. USA’s Marvin Bracy dominated the men’s race in 10.09 (+2.4).
Grenada’s 2009 World Youth and 2010 World Junior champion Kirani James confirmed his talent by taking the 200m gold in a windy 20.52 (+3.3).
On the field, Argentina’s Youth Olympic Games winner Braian Toledo threw the Javelin to a new championships record of 76.40m and Jamaica’s 2009 World Youth bronze medallist Traves Smikle equalled his feat in the Discus with 66.58m. Both were 30 centimetres short of their area records.
USA’s Kevin Lazas impressed with 7979 in the Decathlon, another championships record, thanks to his 14.35 in the sprint hurdles and 4.90m in the Pole Vault.
Held every other year, the Pan American Junior Championships were created in 1988 and has witnessed the emergence of many of the continent’s best talents. Past champions include Carl Lewis, Javier Sotomayor, Ivan Pedroso, Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie and Usain Bolt just to name a few.
Javier Clavelo Robinson for the IAAF
The 2011 Pan American Junior Champions are as follows:
Men -
100m Marvin Bracy, USA 10.09w (2.4)
200m Kirani James, GRN 20.53w (2.2)
400m Ronell Mance, USA 46.14
800m Immanuel Hutchinson, USA 1:49.04
1500m Omar Kaddurah, USA 3:52.29
5000m Jacob Hurysz, USA 14:55.92
10,000m Parker Stinson, USA 30:37.88
3000m ST Fernando Roman, PUR 8:59.52
110m H Eddie Lovett, USA 13.14 (1.6)
400m H Monte Corley, USA 51.21
HJ Maalik Reynolds, USA 2.22
PV Thiago Da Silva, BRA 5.20
LJ Devin Field, USA 7.58 (2.2)
SP Ashinia Miller, JAM 19.97
DT Traves Smikle, JAM 66.58 CR
HT Alec Faldermeyer, USA 72.89
Dec Kevin Lazas, USA 7979 CR
(10.92-7.30m-15.40m-1.91m-51.10/14.35-43.90-4.90-60.34-4:50.50)
TJ Elton Walcott, TRI 16.51w (2.3)
JT Braian Toledo, ARG 76.40 CR
10,000m RW Eider Arevato, COL 41:29.81
4X100 USA 39.43
(Sean McLean, Marvin Bracy, Keenan Brock, Oliver Bradwell)
4x400m USA 3:08.20
(Clayton Gravesande, William Henry II, Davelle Sanders, Ronell Mance)
Women -
100m Michelle-lee Ahye, TRI 11.25 (1.7) 11.15
200m Anthonique Strachan, BAH 22.70 (2.0) CR
400m Chrisann Gordon, JAM 52.62
800m Kenyetta Iyevbele, USA 2:06.27
3000m Kayla Beattie, USA 9:30.63
5000m Kayla Beattie, USA 16:48.44
3000m ST Alexandra Leptich, USA 10:43.76
100m H Trinity Wilson, USA 13.17 (1.0)
HJ Shanay Briscoe, USA 1.83
PV Morgann Leux, USA 4.15
LJ Jessica Reis, BRA 6.39 (1.0)
TJ Gisetty Landajuri, COL 13.04w (2.3)
SP Alessandr Gamboa, PER 15.23
DT Shelbi Vaughan, USA 53.12
HT Shelby Ashe, USA 59.25
JT Avione Allgood, USA 53.06 CR
10,000m RW Jorena Arenas, COL 48:15.78 CR
Hep Tamara Souza, BRA 5477w
(14.41-1.73-13.56-24.39/5.94-37.08-2:45.30)
4x100m Bahamas 45.04
(Devynne Charlton, Carmeisha Cox, V'Alonee Robinson, Anthonique Strachan)
4x400m USA 3:34.71
(Ebony Eutsey, Phyllis Francis, Briana Nelson, Dimond Dixon)
CR - Championships Record