7th World Youth Championships, scheduled for 6 to 10 July 2011 at the Stadium Nord of Lille Métropole – THE FUTURE IS ON THE MOVE

With less than one week until the start of the 7^th World Youth Championships, scheduled for 6 to 10 July 2011 at the Stadium Nord of Lille Métropole, the veil has now been lifted on the forces which will be competing at the event.

Those countries participating in Lille have announced their selection trials, which have been put together according to the IAAF ruling, incorporating athletes born exclusively in 1994 or 1995. Such a participation demonstrates that the world's major athletics nations are playing into the hands of a competition organised on odd-numbered years and alternating with the World Junior Championships since its creation back in 1999.

The host of the competition, France will send a record delegation of 50 athletes to Lille (25 girls and 25 boys), the largest contingent of the competition, with the goal of improving on its best group result, which was obtained in Bydgoszcz in 1999 and resulted in 7 medals, 4 of them gold. Great Britain has selected 24 young boys and girls and Australia has made up a delegation of 27 young athletes (10 boys and 17 girls). Kenya will be represented by 22 athletes (12 boys, 10 girls), gathered together since 17 June in a training camp in Nairobi.

The names of those in the American team, traditionally the best in the world in this age category, will be discovered at the ‘trials' evening, hosted on 28 and 29 June at Myrtle Beach, in South Carolina. It is likely to comprise around forty or so athletes. Of note is the fact that over 30 countries will be represented by a single athlete.

Review of the most eagerly awaited athletes of the World Youth Championships 2011. It is an inventory which reveals a sharing of forces, among young athletes, which is often reminiscent of that observed amongst the seniors.

As regards the Boys 

Sprint. It is no surprise that the United States and Jamaica are laying down their law. The Jamaican Jazeel Murphy is crushing the competition in the 100m, with a time of 10''27 (- 0.2m/sec) achieved at the end of April in Montego Bay. A worthy heir to Usain Bolt, he had already run a time of under 20 seconds in the 200m by the tender age of 15 back in 2009. The 200m, like the 400m, could be an American affair thanks to Arman Hall, credited this season with 20''82 and 46''22.

Middle-distance running. Africa is dominating proceedings with the traditional wrestling match between Kenya and Ethiopia. However, in contrast to the senior competition, the 800m is Ethiopian, at the behest of Mohammed Aman, who has gained nearly three seconds this season to bring his personal best to 1'45''74. Equally as impressive is the performance of the Kenyan Geoffrey Barusei: 3'35''54 in the 1,500m, less than 2 seconds shy of the world youth record (3'33''72).

Jumping. The whole of France has its eyes trained on the young Frenchman Gaël Rotardier, number one in the world in the high jump competition after clearing 2.20m, a performance achieved on two separate occasions this season. The Ukraine, the birthplace of Sergey Bubka, will be the favourite in the pole vault competition thanks to Heorhiy Bykov, who has cleared 5.30m this season and has made 60cm's progress compared to last year.

Throwing. It's a case of he who can do more can do less for the New Zealander Jacko Gill. Already the outright World Junior Champion in the shot put last year, he shouldn't have too much problem making a name for himself in the youth category. The holder of the world record with the weight of 5kg (23.86m), this season he's thrown 21.40m. There is also a major duel in prospect in the hammer throwing between Hungarian Bence Pasztor (83.92m) and the Qatari Ashraf Amqad Elseify (83.18m).

As regards the Girls 

Sprint. Always and forever Jamaica. Christiana Williams, who will celebrate her 17th birthday this autumn, is dominating the medal positions in the 100m, with a time of 11''39 back in March. Her compatriot Chris-Ann Gordon is already master of her art in the 400m, as her season's best of 51''62 testifies, the only time under 52 seconds this year.

Middle-distance running. Kenya can look to the future with optimism as it can now reckon on additional talent in the form of Norah Jeruto Tanui. At just 15, she has achieved 6'25''8 this season in the 2,000m steeplechase, ten seconds faster than her closest pursuer on a global scale.

Hurdles. A trio from western Europe are in the 100m hurdles: the Swiss athlete Noemi Zbären (13''35), Dutch athlete Nadine Visser (13''48) and the Belgian Marjolein Lindemans (13''53). However, the 400m hurdles remains an American speciality, with Amber Bryant-Brock credited with 58''67 this season.

Jumping. The Ukrainian Maryna Bekh has gained 37cm this season in relation to her personal best in the long jump competition to reach 6.47m and dominate the global leaderboard. One leadership position that nobody is contesting is that of Chinese athlete Jingyu Li in the triple jump, after she cleared 13.50m in early June in Jinan.

Combined events. The heptathlon promises to be a Cuban affair with a duel between Yusleidys Mendieta (5,559 points) and Yorgelis Rodriguez (5,470 points). They were ranked in this order at the National Championships in Havana, early this May.

The first delegation, Kuwait, has already taken up residence in Nord-Pas-de-Calais, for a final training stage. A contingent of teams from South and Central America is expected in Lille over the course of the weekend. However, the largest of the delegations is set to join up with the northern metropolis between 2 and 4 July.

 Further informations on the website https://www.lillemetropole2011.com/