Ajee Wilson, the sophomore from Neptune (N.J.) High School, finished fifth in the women’s 800 in the World Junior Championships Thursday night in Moncton, New Brunswick. Wilson ran 2:04.18, a lifetime best and the fastest time by a high school girl in the country this year.
The race was won by Elena Mirela Lavric of Romanica, in 2:01.85. The next three finishers ran in the 2:02s.
In the women’s steeplechase, run in the rain, Shelby Greany (Suffern) finished far back, running 10:27.33 for 10th place. The medalists were two Kenyans and an Ethiopian, running 9:36-9:43-9:43. Finishing sixth was the hometown favorite, Canadian Genevieve Lalonde, a resident of Moncton. She ran 9:57.74, a personal best and national Junior record.
“It’s really cool,” Lalonde said, “a totally amazing feeling after this race… to finally bring it together in my hometown at the end of the year, it’s a great feeling.
“I was a little worried about trying to keep up with them, but I thought I would try something new, and it worked out very well for me.”
The U.S. put two finalists into the women’s 200, but none in the men’s 2, even though the favorite in the men’s dash, Dexter Lee of Jamaica, was disqualified for a false start in Thursday’s preliminary round.
In the women’s 200, Stormy Kendrick, a freshman at Clemson, won her semifinal in 23.28, a lifetime best. In Semi I, Jodie Williams of Great Britain, winner of the 100 on Wednesday night, finished first in 23.20. American Ashton Purvis was third in that race in 23.48 and advanced to the final on time.
In the men’s semis, both Oliver Bradwell and Eric Harris of the U.S. finished out of the money. Lee had won the 100 the night before.
In women’s long jump qualifying, the top qualifier was Chantel Malone of the British Virgin Islands, who jumped 19-11. Malone, a freshman at the University of Texas, is also in the 400 final. American Karynn Dynn made the final, but teammate Andre Geubelle did not. Geubelle has already qualified for the triple jump final. The third American entrant, Jen Clayton of Suffern, was scratched, even though Geubelle was entered in another event.
Another New York competitor, Whitney Fountain (Columbus HS, NYC), also was withdrawn from competition. She had initially been entered in the heptathlon. Nations are limited to two competitors per event.
After the first day of that competition, Alex Gochenour, high school girl from Iowa, was doing well with a lifetime best in the hurdles (13.97) and a good 200 (24.49w).
In the 400 hurdles, Leslie Murray, sophomore at Delaware State and representing the U.S. Virgin Islands, advanced to the men’s final, running 51.25 in Heat I, while Evonne Britton, Penn State freshman, made the women’s final.
Both American competitors in the women’s hammer were eliminated. Shelby Ashe and Lauren Chambers, teammates for the Throw Far club in Georgia, finished far back in the qualifying round. Ashe threw 165-11, Chambers 151-0. /JP/
