USASTF U20 Recap
The USATF U20 meet ran at the same time as the USATF Championships in Eugene, OR and served as the way to select the US team to compete in Cali, Columbia for the World Athletics U20 Championship from August 1-6. Top two finishers qualify for the meet.
5000 Meters
The first distance final was contested on Thursday night. The women's 5000 had high school sophomore Ellie Shea from Massachusetts leading for much of the race and with a mile to go Analee Weaver of Utah State and Heidi Nielson of Arkansas made a move to catch Shea which they did 200 meters later. Weaver and Nielson finished 1-2. In the men's 5000, high school junior Tyrone Gorze from Oregon built a six second lead 3000 meters in the race and eventually held off Dylan Throop of Penn to win the 5000 meters.
800 Meters
Two days later on a hot Saturday afternoon, the distance finals continued with a highly anticipated match up between two of the greatest high school 800 meter runners in high school history. Juliette Whittaker, who prepped in Maryland, and Roisin Willis, who prepped in Wisconsin, will be teammates next year at Stanford and both aimed to break the two-minute barrier. Whittaker not only broke the two minute barrier, but set the high school record of 1:59.04 with Willis finishing second in 2:00.32. Miles Brown of Michigan and Samuel Rodman of Princeton ran to the finish tape in 1:50.90 and 1:50.91 in the men's 800.
1500 Meters
High school athlete Addy Wiley of Indiana broke the national high school 1600 meter record in May and had her sights on making the US junior team. Wiley finished first in a time of 4:15.53 and was pushed for most of the race by Mia Barnett of Virginia who finished second. Connor Burns, a junior high school athlete from Missouri, came into the race with a sub-four mile under his belt, but he fell after 400 meters. Nathan Green of Washington, who finished seventh at the NCAA 1500 a few weeks ago, won the 1500 in 3:45.19 with Muluken Tewalt of Wake Forest taking second.
3000 Steeplechase
Oregon's Harper McClain finished third at Thursday's 5000, but made the US team with a victory in the 3000 steeplechase and New York prep Karrie Baloga finishing second. Bryan Lentz of Air Force won the men's 3000 steeplechase with Peter Visser of Weber State taking second and making the US squad.
3000 Meters
Kate Peters of Lake Oswego High School in Oregon built a 16 second lead by the 2000 meter mark which help her win the 3000 meters in 9:34.78 on a hot afternoon. Analee Weaver of Utah State won the 5000 and also earned a spot on the US team by finishing second. High school athlete from New York Devan Kipyego led the race in a fast pace and the pack patiently reeled him in with Lucas Guerra of Georgetown winning the 3000 in 8:19.36 and 5000 meter champion Tyrone Gorze of Crater High School finishing second.
Photos from Thursday's 5000 meter race
Photos from Saturday's races