Boys Sprints/Hurdles
Humphrey shoots for hurdles double

By Steve Underwood


100m Dash
Team USA Meet History:  You might expect that, outside of Jamaica perhaps, Team USA would be the most dominant nation in the 100 – but it hasn’t been the case.  An American didn’t top the medal stand until Prezel Hardy TX won in 2009, and three times – the last being 2011 – there have been none in the top three.  Silvers have been seized by Brian Sears (1999) and Willie Hordge (2001), while bronzes have been earned by Jonathan Wade (2001) and Ken Gilstrap (2007).

Team USA Roster (HS, Grad Yr, hometown)
Kenzo Cotton, Papillion-LaVista NE, 2014 (La Vista, Neb.)
Jaalen Jones, Thompson AL, 2014 (Maylene, Ala.)

IAAF World List (rank among WYC entries when diff. than list #)
1. 10.37, Kristoffer Hari, DEN
2 (1). 10.39, Michael O’Hara, JAM
3 (2). 10.41, Youxue Mo, CHN
4. 10.42, Myles Valentine, USA
5. 10.44, Paul Lucas, USA
6 (3). 10.46, Reyneir Mena, CUB
...
11 (4). 10.55, Mario Burke, BAR
11 (4). 10.55, Waseem Williams, JAM
...
16 (8). 10.60, Jaalen Jones, USA
...
20 (12). 10.64, Kenzo Cotton, USA
(italicized not entered in WYC)

Team USA Hopes/Preview:  The lists don’t show it, but Cotton is a strong medal contender, with a Trials final run of 10.69 into a 1.7 headwind and a state meet 10.41 with nwi.  Jones’ 10.60 legal PR is probably more indicative of where he’s at, which is a good bet to make the final, but will have to reach another level if he hopes for a medal.  Still, it is unfortunate that more US preps didn’t show up at the Trials, with sub-10.45 talents like Valentine and Lucas not on board.  World leader Hari is also not entered, so the favorite roles fall upon Jamaica’s O’Hara and China’s Mo.  Jamaicans have captured two of the last three titles here.


200m Dash
Team USA Meet History:  Winning 200 meter gold has been just as tough for Americans as half the distance.  Only Jonathan Wade in 2001, ahead of teammate Michael Grant, has topped the podium.  Besides that 1-2 finish, Grant won a second silver for Team USA in 2003 behind Usain Bolt (two appearances no longer possible under current rules), and bronzes have been taken by Bryan Sears (1999), Keenan Brock (2009) and Ronald Darby (2011).

Team USA Roster (HS, Grad Yr, hometown)
Kenzo Cotton, Papillion-LaVista NE, 2014 (La Vista, Neb.)
Ryan Clark, Banneker GA, 2015 (College Park, Ga.)
Noah Lyles, TC Williams VA, 2016 (Charlotte, N.C)

IAAF World List (rank among WYC entries when diff. than list #)
1. 20.72, Reynier Mena, CUB
2. 20.75, Michael O’Hara, JAM
3. 20.91, Vitor Hugo Dos Santos, BRA
4. 20.99, Paul Lucas, USA
5 (4). 21.01, Jonathan Farinha, TRI
6. 21.05, Myles Valentine, USA
7. 21.16, Kristoffer Hari, DEN
8 (5). 21.21, Reece Prescod, GBR
...
10 (6). 21.26, Kenzo Cotton, USA
...
14 (9). 21.38, Noah Lyles, USA
15 (10). 21.39, Ryan Clark, USA
(italicized not entered in WYC)

Team USA Hopes/Preview:  Again, this event will suffer a bit without Americans Valentine and Lucas, and Denmark’s Hari.  And again, Cotton is under-ranked, his 21.26 PR run into a 3.9 headwind.  For its second entry, Team USA could go with Clark – doubling back from the 400 – or Lyles, who would be fresh.  Either has a decent chance of making the final.

On the other hand, Mena and O’Hara seem to be head and shoulders above the field; it would be a surprise if both were not on the medal stand.  Cotton also has a good shot.  The Jamaicans and Brits each have two titles in this event.


400m Dash
Team USA Meet History:  It took until 2011, but Team USA finally produced a 400 champ for the boys when Arman Hall rolled to a 46.01 triumph.  American medals had previously come from Cedric Demiko Goodman (silver in 2003), Bryshon Nellum (bronze in 2005), and Josh Mance (silver in 2009).

Team USA Roster (HS, Grad Yr, hometown)
Ryan Clark, Banneker GA, 2015 (College Park, Ga.)
Jordan Jimerson, Union Catholic NJ, 2014 (Edison, N.J.)

IAAF World List (rank among WYC entries when diff. than list #)
1. 46.64, Devaughn Baker, JAM
1. 46.64, Chris Platt, USA
3 (2). 46.89, Ryan Clark, USA
4 (3). 46.92, Kaisei Yui, JPN
5. 46.93, Jaheel Hyde, JAM
6 (4). 46.95, Martin Manley, JAM
7 (5). 46.97, Batuhan Altintas, TUR
...
-- (14). 47.60, Jordan Jimerson, USA
(italicized not entered in WYC)

Team USA Hopes/Preview:  In Clark, the soph from GA who also broke 47 as a frosh, Team USA has a talent who can definitely contend for a medal.  It was unfortunate that the other eligible American prep under 47 the past two years, Chris Platt of Willis, Texas, was DQ’d in his prelim at the Trials.  In his place is Jimerson, who will likely need a strong PR to make the final.  There are several from around the world bunched in the high 46s, but Jamaica’s Baker is the only one under 46.7 and is a solid favorite.  Jamaica has not medaled in this event here since 2001.


110m Hurdles
Team USA Meet History:  This has been one of Team USA’s best individual events at the championships, with Jason Richardson, Cordera Jenkins, Wayne Davis II, and Dale Morgan stringing together four straight wins between 2003 and 2009, with two other-color medals earned during the same stretch.  Richardson has gone on to win World (Sr.) Championship gold and Olympic silver, while Davis II just won his first NCAA title.  There were no American finalists in 2011, however.

Team USA Roster (HS, Grad Yr, hometown)
Marlon Humphrey, Hoover AL, 2014 (Hoover, Ala.)
Isaiah Moore, Cummings NC, 2014 (Burlington, N.C.)

IAAF World List (rank among WYC entries when diff. than list #)
1. 13.33, Roger Iribarne, CUB
2. 13.45, Michael O’Hara, JAM
2 (2). 13.45, Yang Lu, CHN
4 (3). 13.64, Henrik Hannemann, GER
4 (3). 13.64, Gerard Mateu Porras, ESP
6 (5). 13.65, Florian Lickteig, GER
7 (6). 13.67, Marlon Humphrey, USA
...
-- (22).  13.97, Isaiah Moore, USA
(italicized not entered in WYC)

Team USA Hopes/Preview:  They may not look as formidable on the lists, but insiders know that one of the Americans has a great chance of becoming the 5th gold medalist for Team USA in this event.  Humphrey was devastating mid-season in the US, ripping 13.30w and 13.38 for the 110s at 39”.  He had some time off after his state meet and did not look quite in form yet with his WYT win – though it was into a 3.1 wind.  If he has progressed over the shorter barriers in the two weeks since, look for him to threaten Davis II’s WY record.

Moore is under-ranked as well, and look for him to make a strong bid for the final, at least.  Cuba’s Iribarne is the favorite on the watch, with his 13.33 best.  Jamaica’s talented sprint/hurdle force O’Hara will stick to the dashes, leaving Lu as another top medal threat.


400m Hurdles
Team USA Meet History:  This event hasn’t been quite as great for Team USA as the 110H, but close.  In 2003, Jason Richardson captured gold as part of his epic hurdles double, while in 2007 fans witnessed a stupendous 1-2 finish by William Wynne – who set the still-standing WY record – and Reggie Wyatt.  Two bronzes and a silver are also part of the historical haul.  On the other hand, Americans have been shut out three times, including the past two championships (no finalists in 2011).

Team USA Roster (HS, Grad Yr, hometown)
Marlon Humphrey, Hoover AL, 2014 (Hoover, Ala.)
Kenny Selmon, Pace Academy GA, 2014 (Mableton, Ga.)
Taylor McLaughlin, Union Catholic, 2015 (Dunellen, N.J.)

IAAF World List (rank among WYC entries when diff. than list #)
1. 50.75, Marlon Humphrey, USA
2. 50.90, Kenny Selmon, USA
3. 51.69, Taylor McLaughlin, USA
4. 52.30, Giuseppe Biondo, ITA
5. 52.33, Yang Wang, CHN
6. 52.34, Florian Gouacide, FRA

Team USA Hopes/Preview:  Team USA can’t win three medals in the 400H, but if you’ve got ’em, why not bring ’em?  But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.  Let’s start with Humphrey, who will certainly not be overlooked here.  The thing is, the 50.75 with which he leads the world is the least impressive of his relevant performances.  He has gone 50.25 over the prep 400H, 3” higher, and when he was really in shape he clocked 35.60 for the 300H – barely half a second off the USR.  As we said earlier, if Humphrey is in top form, he can scare the WYR – in this case, Wynne’s – and match Richardson’s hurdle doubles feat from 2003.

All that said, the real revelation is Selmon.  Amazingly, he was “just” a 38.14 300H this year during the state season, but got into a serious groove in the 400H with a 52.30 at Golden South, followed by 51.82 at NBNO and the 50.90 in Edwardsville.  Few saw this coming.  Then there’s McLaughlin, who like Jimerson (400 dash above) is part of the powerful Union Catholic NJ program.  He’s also a sub-48 400 guy, as a soph, and scored a big PR at the Trials, as well.  If he doesn’t wind up running the 400H, he could possibly help on the relay.

It also has to be said that, to date, it’s not a strong year for the “rest of the world” in this event, with no one else better than 52.30 – although one of the Jamaicans, Okeem Williams, has run just 53.35 this year but carries a 51.68 PR.  If there’s any event Team USA should get two medals in, it’s this one.


Swedish Medley Relay
Team USA Meet History:  The Americans have captured this race in every championships with the exception of 2001, when a good squad that included four individual medalists was beaten by Poland.  Individual talent, of course, isn’t always the key with relays and Team USA has won or set records here with two or fewer medalists.  The WY record in 2011, with Arman Hall anchoring, was particularly special.

Team USA Roster (HS, Grad Yr, hometown)
It will be interesting to see who Team USA goes with in this.  Kenzo Cotton should be a given and Ryan Clark is pretty likely.  After that, hurdlers like Marlon Humphrey could conceivably be in the mix.

IAAF World List (rank among WYC entries when diff. than list #)
1. 1:53.35, Gambia
2. 1:54.31, Ethiopia
3. 1:54.58, Nigeria

Team USA Hopes/Preview:  This could be a tough year for Team USA to win.  There’s considerable talent, yes, but probably not quite as much as 2011, with Hall, Aldrich Bailey, Najee Glass and Ronald Darby.  Jamaica would seem to be pretty good on paper, with O’Hara, Baker and Williams to call upon.  But Japan, which has medaled in five of the seven championships, is typically efficient with the stick and could very well be on the stand again.  The world list means almost nothing as most top countries have not competed as a group yet.