College freshmen Robby Andrews and Cas Loxsom both moved on to the semifinals of the men’s 800 at the World Junior Championships Friday morning in Moncton, New Brunswick.
Andrews, the freshman at Virginia from Manalapan, N.J., finished second in Heat I in 1:50.80. He is the world Junior leader so far this season at 1:45. Loxsom, who attended Wilbur Cross H.S. in New Haven, Conn., and just completed his freshman year at Penn State, won Heat IV in 1:49.47. Loxsom, who has run 1:46, upset Andrews in the U.S. Juniors meet last month.
It was a good session for the American team, which has not won any gold medals yet in these championships.
Conor McCullough, the Princeton freshman who set the national high school record in the weight throw at the Armory in 2009, got the automatic qualifier on his first throw to lead Group A in the men’s hammer qualifying. McCullough threw 249-6, well beyond the auto line of 234-7. Justin Welch, the other American thrower, was scheduled to throw later on Friday morning in Group B.
In the men’s high hurdles, Caleb Cross, a freshman at Arkansas, won his heat in 13.56, and Johnathan Cabral, a student at Agoura (Cal.) H.S., won his in 13.63.
Other American qualifiers Friday morning were Kelsie Ahbe (Indiana) and Shade Weygandt (Texas Tech) in the pole vault, Jared Berman (Virginia Tech) in the steeplechase, Jordan Hasay (Oregon) in the women’s 1,500 and Hannah Willms (Dike-New Hartford HS, Iowa) in the high jump.
Hasay finished second in Heat II in 4:16.74. The slowest time qualifier was 4:18.90. Rachel Schneider, the Georgetown freshman from New Hampshire, was seventh in Heat I in 4:20.99, thus missing the cutoff.
“It was hard,” Hasay said, “but I think it’s just because it was in the morning and it hasn’t quite warmed up yet. I feel good about it. I felt pretty strong at the end and just wanted to automatically qualify. The first heat was really fast, so I knew I had to get that automatic spot.
“Preliminaries are always so nerve-wracking because you’re worried someone’s going to pass you and get that spot. I’m just excited to make it to the finals and do something there. I’d like to get a personal record, run somewhere around 4:10 maybe. I think it’s a great opportunity. I feel blessed to be in the final.”
Tizita Bogale of Ethiopia won Heat I in 4:12.95, then Nancy Chepkwemoi of Kenya went even faster in Heat III, winning in 4:11.42.
“The race was great,” Bogale said, exhibiting the great confidence the Ethiopian runners have shown here. “I wanted to run it from the front and qualify for the final. I believe I can win the final.”
Bogale, who turned 17 last week, has a best of 4:08.73.
With medals hard to come by so far, the U.S. team had to be pleased with the pair it won on Thursday evening. Errol Nolan of the University of Houston finished third in the men’s 400, and Erin Pendleton of Michigan took silver in the women’s discus.
“I’m excited,” said Pendleton, whose older sister, Emily, is also a star in the event. “I just wanted to stay calm and keep my nerves in check, but the wind was a really, really good wind, and I knew I could place, so I’m very happy with how I did.” Erin threw 180-4, second to 183-9 for the winner, Yaime Perez of Cuba. The Pendletons are both students at the University of Michigan.
Nolan ran 46.36 in the 400, behind Kirani James of Grenada (45.89) and Marsell Deak Nagy of Hungary (46.09). James, who won the NCAA championship last month for the University of Alabama and was the heavy favorite here, tied up down the straight and just did hold off Nagy at the tape.
In seventh was Alistair Moona (47.38) of Canada. Moona, who grew up in Jamaica, ran the 400 at the National Scholastic in the Armory in March.
The women’s 400 was won by Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas, in 52.52. Stacey-Ann Smith (Bloomfield, Conn.) was fourth in 53.42, ahead of her University of Texas teammate, Chantel Malone of the BVI, who finished eighth in 53.91.
Isabelle Pedersen of Norway won the women’s 100 hurdles, 13.30, as Europeans swept the medals. German runners took silver and medal. Evonne Britton, Penn State freshman, was sixth in 13.50. Britton has also qualified for the 400 hurdle final later in the championships. /JP/