World Junior records fall as Team USA sweeps relays; Aries Merritt strikes gold

GROSSETO, Italy - World Junior records tumbled, crumbled and fell as Team USA's relay teams swept the 4x100m and 4x400m relays along with Aries Merritt who grabbed gold in the 110m hurdles Sunday to conclude the 10^th IAAF World Junior Track & Field Championships in Grosseto, Italy. It marked the first time that Team USA has swept the relays at the Championships.

Alexandria Anderson (52.40) of Chicago's Morgan Park HS opened the 4x400m relays followed by Georgia Tech's Ashlee Kidd (52.40) on the second leg. 2003 Pam Am Juniors 400m champion Stephanie Smith (51.10) of South Carolina ran third, handing off to the 2004 World Juniors 400m champion and future teammate in the fall at South Carolina, Natasha Hastings (51.80), who cruised to a world junior record in a time of 3:27.60 bettering the 3:28.39 set in 1988 by the German Democratic Republic.

The men's 4x400m finals, UCLA's Brandon Johnson (45.20) led off with LaShawn Merritt (44.80) running the second leg for the first time. "My job running the second leg (4x400m) was to run the 200m hard and expand the lead since I never ran second leg before," said Merritt. The 2004 USA 400m champion, Merritt anchored the world junior record setting 4x100m relay team earlier in the day before passing the baton to Jason Craig (46.20) of Huber Heights, Ohio, running the third leg with 2004 USA Juniors 400m hurdles champion Kerron Clement (44.80) of Florida cruising to a new world junior record in the 4x400m relays in a time of 3:01.09 bettering the 3:01.90 set in 1990 by Team USA. "We were going for the record from the beginning," said Clement.

In the men's 4x100m relays, David "Trell" Kimmons of Cold Water, Miss., got out to an early lead with 2004 World Junior 100m silver medalist, Demi Omole of Wisconsin running the second leg and 2004 World Junior 100m champion, Ivory Williams of Texas in his familiar third leg spot, handing off to LaShawn Merritt who cruised to a world junior record time of 38.66 seconds --bettering the 38.92 set in 2002 by Team USA. The women's 4x100m relays, Shalonda Solomon anchored and pulled Team USA out of third place to win gold in a time 43.49 seconds. "I could not see the other lanes in front of me, but once I got the baton I saw we were in third-place," said Solomon. "I knew I had to make up the ground for the team." The women's team consisted of 2004 World Juniors 100m champion Ashley Owens a UNLV signee, Juanita Broaddus of Barton CC, Jasmine Baldwin a Mt. SAC signee.

With a slight headwind, Tennessee's Aries Merritt (13.56) and Kevin Craddock (13.77) of James Logan HS (San Pablo, Calif.) captured gold and bronze respectively in the men's 110m hurdles. "I noticed a slight headwind at the start so I pushed out harder on the first hurdle than I normally do," said Merritt. "I set my race up correctly because I push harder on that first hurdle."

In the women's high jump final, Cal Poly Slo's Sharon Day had great support from her fellow teammates to match her personal best mark of 1.91m/6-3.25 to grab a bronze medal while fellow U.S. teammate Inika McPherson (1.75m/5-8.75) tied for 11^th place. "I felt good the whole time I was jumping and it helps when the crowd is getting into it -- especially my teammates," said Day. Galen Rupp of Portland, Ore., ran a personal best time of 13:52.85 to finish ninth and Josh McDougal of Peru, NY, finished 12^th in a personal best time of 14:07.55 in the men's 5,000m final.

Team USA topped the medal table with 19 (13 gold, three silver and three bronze) - the second-best total for the USA in Championships history, only exceeded by the 2002 team. Russia was second in the medal count with 18 (seven gold, eight silver and three bronze).

For more information on the 2004 IAAF World Junior Track & Field Championships, including results from the Pre-World Meet, visit www.iaaf.org or USATF's newly redesigned website at www.usatf.org.

Athlete Quotes:

Shalonda Solomon (World Juniors 4x100m relay champion) South Carolina-bound:

I could not see the other lanes in front of me, but once I got the baton I saw we were in third-place. I knew I had to make up the ground for the team. I was trying to maintain and focus on to finish first pumping my arms all the way through. I knew my technique was the key to the finish.

Ashley Owens (World Juniors 4x100m relay champion) UNLV-bound:

I thought, push, push, push-drive, drive, drive - down, down, down and exchange the baton. For some reason I could not get the baton to Juanita's (Broaddus) hand without any hesitation, but we got it this time. I was trying to focus on the middle of her hand for the exchange. We were pretty confident since we have the gold and sliver medalist along with Shalonda (Solomon) and Juanita (Broaddus) a 200m specialist, that we would pull out another gold medal for Team USA.

Alexandria Anderson (4x400m relays world junior record) Morgan Park HS (Chicago, Ill):

I was not that nervous, I knew what I had to do. I was actually happy that my split was faster today. I had to go out there and get the baton to Ashlee (Kidd) and to get out fast my first 300 meters and bring it in on my last 100 meters. That is what the first leg does.

I fell out after I finished my leg, but I am so happy because I am a world junior record holder.

David "Trell" Kimmons (4x100m relays world junior record) Cold Water, Miss:

I just wanted to get the baton to the second leg as fast as I could. My focus was to get out in front first for a smooth exchange.

It feels good to set a world junior record. This was a fast track and one of the best that I've run on.

Demi Omole (4x100m relays world junior record) Wisconsin:

My main goal was to catch anyone outside of my lane as I ran hard as I could. Once I gave it (baton) to Ivory (Williams), I knew it was all done with the (world junior) record.

Ivory Williams (4x100m relay world junior record) Central HS (Beaumont, Texas): I wanted to stay relaxed and calm. I was yelling at LaShawn (Merritt) to run, run, run when I handed the baton to him.

Kerron Clement (4x400m relay world junior record) Florida: My job was to bring home the gold and give Team USA another win. We were going for the record from the beginning.

LaShawn Merritt (4x100m and 4x400m world junior record) East Carolina-bound: I was not planning to run yesterday, but I knew I could do it today and try to run faster. I knew we had a good team, good enough to break both 4x100m and 4x400m relay records tonight.

In the 4x400m, the baton was not as hard as the 4x100m. My job running the second leg (4x400m) was to run the 200m hard and expand the lead since I never ran second leg before. I could not tell if I was running hard or not because I was out by myself. I just kept turning my legs over.

Aries Merritt (110mH) Tennessee:

I felt good before the race. I noticed a slight headwind at the start so I pushed out harder on the first hurdle than I normally do. I set my race up correctly because I push harder on that first hurdle. I felt the Cuban right beside though so I got my feet down faster after hurdle five and felt myself pulling away so I decided to keep that pace up. I realized that was the right tempo for me and hauled it in at the end to run as fast as I could.

Kevin Craddock (110mH) James Logan HS (San Pablo, Calif.):

My reaction to the gun was good. My drive was harder because when I got to the first hurdle, I realized I was sixth place. I was chasing from behind to try and catch up with the others ahead. I floated over a few hurdles by then it was just to get a medal. It feels great and I could not be more excited.

Sharon Day (High Jump) Cal Poly Slo:

It is pretty awesome getting a medal and to just be on the medal stand. I felt good the whole time I was jumping and that helps when the crowd is getting into it especially my teammates. This is only my second time to clear that height.

The only thing I could have done better is to stay clean and that is what kept me from getting silver because she (Shkolina-Russia) beat me on misses even though we both cleared the same height. The goal is to stay clean throughout the competition.