Inclement weather continued to slow down the 3,000 athletes at the 2002 USA Track & Field Youth Athletics National Championships at Miami-Dade Tropical Park Stadium, but athletes turned in fast times when the delay was lifted. On the final day of competition, ominous skies and lightning delayed the event by three hours for the third straight day. This meet is the second stop of the Verizon Youth Series.

Double hurdles winner and Houston native Kerron Clement (Wings TC), who won the 110m hurdles in 13.97 and the 400m hurdles in 52.15 on Sunday, was named the Verizon Outstanding Male Athlete of the Meet. For the ladies, Trisa Nickoley (unattached), who won set a U.S. national youth record in the intermediate girls 800m on Saturday was named the Verizon Outstanding Female Athlete of the Meet. Nickoley, a 16-year-old native of Shawnee, Kansas, broke the 1991 record when she ran 2:08.94, she also finished 4th in the intermediate girls 1500m on Sunday with a time of 4:47.87.

In the 4x100m relay finals, Track Houston, anchored by 2002 U.S. Junior 100m runner-up Willie Hordge, anchored the young men’s winning team (39.89), while Keystone ‘A’ won the young women’s 4x100m relay with a time of 45.52. In the intermediate division, Track Houston ‘A’ won the girls 4x100m relay in 47.65 and Tampa Rec. Trailblazers ‘A’ won the boys 4x100m title in 41.88. Metro-Dade won 4x100m relay titles in the youth boys (45.23) and the bantam boys (53.70). The Valley United TC ‘A’ won the youth girls title in 47.53, while Young Achievers Sprint Club ‘A’ won the bantam girls titles in 56.38. In the midget division, Miami Northwest Express TC ‘A’ won the 4x100m title in 51.49 and Boys & Girls Club Georgia ‘A’ won the boys title in 49.68.

In the 4x400m relay finals, an exciting finish in the young men’s relay as Track Houston edged New Horizon to end the meet. Track Houston, anchored by Hordge, ran 3:09.14. In the young women’s race, Keystone ‘A’ won with a time of 3:37.21. Boys & Girls Club Georgia ‘A’ won the bantam boys and girls titles in 4:31.28 and 4:34.48 respectively. Miami Express Northwest TC ‘B’ won the midget girls title in 4:07.39 and Mt. Airy TC ‘A’ won the midget boys title in 4:17.93. In the youth division, the Acorn TC ‘A’ team won the boys title in 3:50.87, while MLK Blaster ‘A’ won the girls title in 3:58.02. In the intermediate division, Lake Area Express ‘A’ won the boys division in 3:23.37, while Young Achievers Sprint Club TC ‘A’ won the girls title in 3:47.36.

In the 100m finals, 2001 World Youth double silver medalist Willie Hordge (Track Houston) won the young men’s 100m title in 10.70. Darel Scott (Philadelphia Express) and Elizabeth Olear won their second titles in as many days with wins in the youth boys and girls race. Scott won in 11.40, while Olear won in 12.17. Scott won the youth boys 200m and Olear won the youth girls 200m on Saturday. Tabriah Lewis (Young Achievers) and Rannall Hall (Metro-Dade) won the bantam girls and boys titles in 13.97 and 12.91 respectively. In the midget division, Danielle Nolton (MNWX) and Daquan Hargrett (Metro-Dade) won the 100m titles for their division in 12.76 and 12.66 respectively. Nina Mayes (Wings TC) won the young women’s 100m with a time of 12.05. In the intermediate division, Cedric Goodman (New Horizon) won the 100m with a time of 10.99, while Tiaerra McLauren (Young Achievers) won in 11.85.

In the 400m finals, 2001 World Youth double gold medalist Stephanie Smith (Sapphire TC) won her second title of the meet with a win in the young women’s division (53.89). In the young men’s race, Reginal Witherspoon (New Horizon) won with a time of 46.39. Witherspoon’s time was the fifth-fastest by a high schooler this season. Cedric Goodman (New Horizon) and Lauren Austin (Young Achievers) won the intermediate division in 49.18 and 55.08 respectively. In the youth division, Natalie Johnson (Arizona Elite) and Dax Danns (MLK Blasters) won their titles in 56.68 and 51.31. Charlene Fuller (Platinum TC) and William Wynne (Boys Girls) won the midget division titles in 58.42 and 56.52. Fuller’s 400m title was her second in as many days; she won the 200m title on Saturday. Shamia James (Jaguar TC) and Roy Smith (MNWX) won the bantam division in 1:06.73 and 1:02.67 respectively.

In the sprint hurdles, Kerron Clement (Wings TC) won his second title of the day with his 13.97 in the young men’s 110m hurdles. Clement won the 400m hurdles earlier in the day in 52.15. Dominique Darden (Keystone) won the young women’s 400m hurdles in 13.90. In the intermediate division, Dominique Manning (West Valley Eagles) won the 100m hurdles in 14.62, while Saidu Ezike (TCTC) won the 110m hurdles in 14.72. In the youth girls 100m hurdles, Shana Woods (LBCS) won with a time of 15.03, while Marcus Clanton (Phoenix Bobcats TC) won the youth boys 100m hurdles in 13.90. Christie Leverette (Gazelle TC) won her fourth title of the meet when she won the midget girls 80m hurdles in 13.47. Leverette won the shot put on Saturday, the high jump on Friday and the pentathlon on Thursday. Lance Roller (New York Novas) won the midget boys 80m hurdles in 12.51 to finish out the day.

Other finals on the track included the 400m hurdles. Courtney Clark (Keystone) won the young women’s race in 1:00.44. The intermediate boys and girls also ran finals in the 400m hurdles, with Kahlil Phillips (Quicksilver) and Nicole Leach (Keystone) won their respective races in 55.57 and 1:00.17.

The youth boys and girls ran the finals of the 200m hurdles. Metro-Dade’s Willis West won his title in 25.29, while Shana Woods (LBCS) won her title in 27.21.

Several divisions ran finals in the 1500m on Sunday. William Cyburn (unattached) and Anya Curtis (Mt. Airy TC) won the bantam boys and girls titles at 1500m Cyburn ran 5:11.65, while Curtis ran 5:07.45. In the midget division, Brandon Harris (MNWX) won the boys title in 4:45.94, while Victoria Castaneda (Wandering Tucan) won the girls title in 4:57.42. Jenny Adams (unattached) and Travon Patterson (LBCS) won their youth divisions in 4:43.51 and 4:22.21 respectively. In the intermediate division, Amada Thornberry (Heritage TC) won the girls 1500m title in 4:45.65, while Ben Delany (Cornhusker Flyers) won the boys 1500m title in 4:01.93. Rachel Barber (Jenks America TC) and Sean Reilly (NSRR) won the young women and men’s titles in 4:46.41 and 4:04.98.

Several field events also concluded on Sunday with Jonathan Miller (Seffner TC) leading the way with a win in the young men’s pole vault with a clearance of 4.55m/14-11.00. In the bantam girls long jump, Whitney Fountain (Burning Spear TC) won with a mark of 4.24 meters/13 feet, 11.00 inches and Mitchell Pearson (South Madison Panthers) won the long jump in the bantam boys division with a mark of 4.24m/13-11.00. Agnes Gallegos (Albuquerque OC Striders) and Hunter Furr (unattached) won in the midget division. Gallegos won the discus throw with a mark of 19.49m/63-11, while Furr won the long jump with a mark of 4.86m/15-11.50. Also in the midget division, Tyler Johnson (unattached) won the discus with a throw of 32.14m/105-05 and Erin Reid (Long Beach Sprinters) won the long jump with a mark of 4.98m/16-04.25.

In order to be eligible to compete at the 2002 USA Track & Field Youth Athletics National Championships, a competitor must be a U.S. citizen and born after July 29, 1983. Athletes must compete in one of five age groups, determined by birth year. Those age divisions are Bantam (1992 or later), Midget (1990-91), Youth (1988-89), Intermediate (1986-87) and Young Men/Women (1984-85). Athletes born in 1983 are also eligible if they do not turn 19 on or prior to July 29, 2002.

This meet will serve as one of the selection meets for the 2003 World Youth Athletics Championships, July 10-13, 2003, in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Athletes can also qualify for Team USA at the 2002 USATF National Junior Olympic Championships in Omaha, Neb., July 23-28.

For more information on the 2002 USA Track & Field Youth Athletics National Championships and the Verizon Youth Series, including complete results from this year’s event and team results, visit the USATF website at www.usatf.org.