Jeshua Anderson wins the 400m Hurdles in a meet record at the 2008 USATF Junior Champs (© Kirby Lee)
Columbus, USAAn American football career will be on hold for the moment for Jeshua Anderson who won the 400m Hurdles in a meet and stadium record 49.28 sec on the second day (Sat 21 June) of the USA Track & Field Junior Championships at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium at Ohio State on Saturday to earn a berth for the 12th IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland on 8-13 July.
Anderson, who celebrates his 19th birthday today (22 June) eclipsed the meet record of 49.45 set in 1984 by Belfred Clark and the 2003 stadium record of 50.01 set by Victor Okore on a damp track caused by heavy afternoon showers.
Whirlwind season for Anderson
Anderson’s victory in the age 19-and-under meet came six days after the Woodland Hills resident won the NCAA title in 48.69 – the No. 5 time by an American this season – in Des Moines, Iowa.
On Wednesday (25), Anderson will travel to Eugene, Oregon for the U.S. Olympic Trials to attempt to earn a berth in the Beijing Olympics.
“Hopefully, I’ll be able to come back for football in the fall” said Anderson, who played in 12 games at receiver for the Cougar football team last autumn.
Everything has been in place in the 400 Hurdles in Anderson’s first full season in the event. Anderson, the national high school record holder in the 300m Hurdles at 35.28 (2007) has this year won at the Texas Relays, Pac-10 Conference and NCAA West Regional titles.
In the NCAA Championships, Anderson with a 48.69 run smashed a Washington State school and former collegiate record of 49.27 held by Boyd Gittins that had stood since 1968.
Yesterday’s victory in Columbus was also redemption for Anderson after he was not able to compete in the 2007 USA Track & Field Junior Championships in Indianapolis. Anderson missed his flight from Los Angeles International High after arriving late while participating in high school graduation ceremonies in the San Fernando Valley.
Rain delay
On Saturday, Anderson’s journey to the winner’s circle was delayed after a thunderstorm and lightning suspended the meet for more than two hours.
Competing in chilly conditions on a damp track, Anderson overtook defending Junior and IAAF World Youth champion William Wynne, a senior at McEachern High School in Georgia on the homestretch, and held off a late charge by 2007 Pan-American Junior champion Johnny Dutch of South Carolina.
“I knew (Wynne) was going to come out fast,” Anderson. “I just tried to stay calm and relaxed. I tried to run my own race, stay in my rhythm and run through the finish.”
Dutch was second in 49.74 and Wynne placed third in 50.42. The top two finishers in each event earned a berth on the U.S. team contingent upon achieving a qualifying standard.
Breakthrough for Greer in the 800m
It was also a breakthrough meet for Elijah Greer, a junior at Lake Oswego High in Oregon, in the 800m.
The Oregon state champion clocked 1:47.68 to move into fourth on the all-time U.S. performer list and slice 2.47 off his PB. Cydney Ross won the women’s 800m in 2:07.12 to hold off Sarah McCurdy (2:07.75) and Camilla Dencer (2:07.88).
Florida sweep in Women’s Hurdles
Teona Rodgers of Florida State edged Vashti Thomas, a Texas A&M-bound high school senior from Mt. Pleasant High in San Jose, Calif., 13.60 to 13.62. In the 400m hurdles, Takeica Jameson of Miami, the third-place finisher in the 2008 NCAA Championships, won in 58.66.
Other winners
In the Decathlon, Chase Dalton of BYU had the best marks in the Discus Throw (45.01m) and Javelin (60.31m) to win with 7202 points.
Catherine White of Arkansas won the women’s 5000m (16:32.03) and Daniel Dunbar of Southern Illinois was victorious in the 10,000m (30:34.09).
Shakia Forbes of Seton Hall nipped 2007 Pan Am Junior champion Jamesha Youngblood of Oregon in the women’s Long Jump, 6.35m to 6.34m. Shanay Briscoe tied the stadium record in the women’s High Jump (1.80m).
Austin Davis of North Carolina won the Triple Jump at 16.06m and Eric Plumer of Princeton was the winner in the Shot Put (19.06m).
Kirby Lee for the IAAF
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