AMHERST, N.Y. - More than 2,500 of the country’s top youth track and field athletes are in Amherst, New York, for the 2003 USA Track & Field Youth Athletics National Championships that began competition Wednesday on the campus of the University at Buffalo.

Part of the Verizon Youth Series, Wednesday’s competition consisted of the youth boys and girls pentathlon as well as first day of the heptathlon and decathlon events in addition to the finals of the intermediate boys and young men’s 2000m steeplechase, exhibition hammer throw and the youth, bantam and midget race walks.

Ben DeLay won the young men’s 2000m steeplechase in 6 minutes, 4.51 seconds while Chris Cebula won the intermediate boys 2000m steeplechase in 6:18.98.

In the young men’s decathlon, Michael Feathers won the shot put (13.22 meters/43 feet 4.25), the high jump (1.90m/6-2.75) and the 400m (52.66) to take the lead after five events with a total of 3,378 points in the first day of competition. In the intermediate boys decathlon, Marcus Clanton leads after the first day of competition with wins in the 100m (11.81), shot put (11.48m/37-8) and tied for first place in the high jump (1.75m/5-8.75). In the young women’s heptathlon, Alon Cooper won the 100m hurdles (15.16), the shot put (9.77m/32-0.75) and the 200m (25.65) to lead with a total of 2,729 points after the first day of competition. Marr Harris won the 110m hurdles (15.17), the shot put (8.33m/27-4), the 200m (25.72) to have a total of 2,683 points to lead after the first day in the intermediate girls competition.

1956 Olympic hammer gold medalist Harold Connolly was instrumental to put the field together with today’s exhibition hammer throw event. Zack Midles won the young men’s competition with a throw of 59.66m/195-9. Kristin Callen won the young women’s event with a mark of 52.47m/188-6, while Shannon Harvey won the intermediate girls with a toss of 39.85m/130-8. Zack Midles and Jimmy Tarro who placed second in the young men’s division, and Erin Donnelly, who finished second in the young women’s division, will represent the United States in the hammer throw at the IAAF World Youth Track & Field Championships next week in Sherbrooke, Canada.

Brittany Borman won the youth girls pentathlon with 2,966 total points, while Terry Prentice won the youth boys pentathlon with a total of 2,864 points.

The combined events will wrap up Thursday along with race walks for the intermediate and youth athletes. The midget, youth, intermediate and young women and young men will compete in the 4x800m relays. Here’s a look at some of the meet’s top entrants:

Young Women’s Sprints – Some of the favorites in the 100 and 200m are Krystin Lacy of Dallas entering the competition with the third fastest prep mark this year with 11.44 seconds in the 100m and 23.86 seconds in the 200m. Alexandria Anderson of Chicago should be a strong challenge in the field with the sixth best mark of 11.62 seconds. Natasha Hastings of New York, who was sixth at the 2003 USA Junior Outdoor Championships in Palo Alto, California, will return. Hastings had the second fastest time by a prep this year at 52.09. Mary Ann Erigha of Georgia is a double state sprint champ in class 3A .

Young Men’s Sprints – One of the top one-lap entrants, Reggie Witherspoon of Georgia, is among the top 10 high schoolers nationally in the 400m this season. Michael Grant of Georgia is favored in the 200m after picking up a silver medal at the 2001 World Youth Championships in Hungary.

Young Women’s 800m – Trisha Nickoley is a strong contender entering the competition with the fourth best prep time this year at 2:08.13. The 2002 Junior Olympics 800m champion, Briene Simmons of Georgia will return this year.

Young Men’s/Women’s Hurdles – Porscha Dobson of New Jersey enters the competition with the second best prep time at 13.50 in the 100m hurdles. The 2003 Texas state 110-meter hurdles champion Jason Richardson will also be favored in the 110m hurdles after turning in a nation-leading time of 13.51 in May. Aries Merritt of Georgia will be a strong contender with his best time of 13.76w.

Young Men’s Distance - Galen Rupp of Portland is ranked third in the 3,000 meters on the world youth list enters the meet. The 2003 USA Junior Outdoor Championships 5 km runner-up will compete in 3 km at the World Youth Championships next week in Sherbrooke, Canada.

Throws – D'Andra Carter of Texas will be following in the family footsteps in the throws. Her older sister Michelle won silver in the shot put at the 2001 championships and set a U.S. prep record this year. D'Andra will compete in the intermediate girls discus coming in with a best mark of 46.92m/153-11.

Intermediate Girls’ 800m – Latvia Thomas of Philadelphia will be one to watch in this week’s competition and has the 10th best prep time of 2:09.48.

Young Women’s Race Walk – Last year’s 5,000m race walk champion, Maria Michta was second at the 2003 USA Junior Outdoor Championships. She is one of the nation’s most promising walkers who will be back this year.

For more information on the 2003 USA Track & Field Youth Athletics National Championships and the Verizon Youth Series, including results, visit www.usatf.org.

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