Team USATF finishes atop the medal table at IAAF World U20 Championships – USA Track & Field – News

TAMPERE, Finland — Two golds from the women’s team and a silver from the men gave Team USATF the overall medal lead on the final day of the IAAF World U20 Championships. The U.S. tallied 18 medals over the six-day competition — three golds, eight silvers and seven bronzes — and also dominated the points standings with 155, 43 ahead of runners-up Kenya.

2016 bronze medalist Tia Jones (Marietta, Georgia) was the fastest out of the blocks in the 100m hurdles and she held that advantage through the finish line, but just barely, taking the gold in 13.01, the same time as silver medalist Britany Anderson of Jamaica. In fact, both athletes were timed at 13.002 to the thousandth of a second, with Jones getting the nod from the judges. Cortney Jones (Conyers, Georgia) grabbed the bronze with a 13.19, marking the second time the U.S. has won two medals in the event. Tia Jones is the only U.S. female U20 athlete and the 2nd American U20 athlete ever to medal twice in the same event, having also claimed bronze in 2016. Conor McCullough took silver in the hammer in 2008 and gold in 2010.

Seeking a ninth-straight World U20 title in the women’s 4x400m relay, Team USATF did not disappoint. Symone Mason (Miami, Florida) ran a quick opening leg to hand off to Shae Anderson (Norco, California) with a three-meter lead. Anderson stretched that lead and gave Julia Madubuike (College Station, Texas) a seemingly unassailable margin.

Holding off a challenge from Jamaica over the final 100m, Madubuike gave Taylor Manson (Gainesville, Florida) a one-stride gap and Manson took it from there. Easing ahead step by step down the backstretch, Manson sprinted away through the final turn and carried the team to victory in 3:28.74, the third-fastest time in U.S. U20 history and No. 4 on the all-time world U20 list.

Also carrying an eight-meet win streak, the men’s 4x400m squad ran into early trouble. Elija Godwin (Covington, Georgia) reached the first handoff even with Britain and Belgium, but his pass to Nicholas Ramey (Snellville, Georgia) was fumbled and the team lost valuable meters as Ramey had to stop and retrieve the baton. Justin Robinson (St. Louis, Missouri) ran the race of his life on the third leg to put the U.S. back into contention for a medal, and Howard Fields (Fresno, Texas) picked up one more place on the anchor to claim silver in 3:05.26 after a remarkable comeback.

Men’s Discus

After a foul in the opening round, Elijah Mason (Casa Grande, Arizona) hit 57.96m/190-2 on his second attempt to gain a top-eight position and three more throw in the final. Mason couldn’t improve, though, fouling three times before a 56.77m/186-3 in the final round, and he ended up eighth.

Women’s Triple Jump

Jasmine Moore (Grand Prairie, Texas) had a best of 13.09m/42-11.5 on her first attempt in the triple jump and was 10th.

Women’s High Jump

Shelby Tyler (Noblesville, Indiana) cleared 1.80m/5-10.75 on her second attempt, but had three misses at 1.84m/6-0.5 and finished 11th.

Women’s 1500m

Tucked in behind the leaders from the start, Caitlin Collier (Jacksonville, Florida) ran in the top three through the first lap before falling back a bit over the next two circuits and finishing 12th in 4:26.61.

Medal table (18)

Gold (3)

Men’s 4x100m, Eric Harrison Jr., Anthony Schwartz, Austin Kratz, Micah Williams

Women’s 100m hurdles, Tia Jones

Women’s 4x400m, Symone Mason, Shae Anderson, Julia Madubuike, Taylor Manson

Silver (8)

Men’s shot put, Adrian Piperi

Men’s 100m, Anthony Schwartz

Women’s 100m, Twanisha Terry

Women’s hammer, Alyssa Wilson

Women’s 200m, Lauren Rain Williams

Men’s javelin, Tzuriel Pedigo

Men’s pole vault, Zachery Bradford

Men’s 4x400m, Elija Godwin, Nicholas Ramey, Justin Robinson, Howard Fields

Bronze (7)

Women’s javelin, Dana Baker

Men’s 100m, Eric Harrison

Women’s 400m, Taylor Manson

Women’s long jump, Tara Davis

Men’s 200m, Eric Harrison Jr.

Men’s high jump, JuVaughn Blake

Women’s 100m hurdles, Cortney Jones

 

American Junior Records (1)

Women’s 10,000m Race Walk, Taylor Ewert, 45:57.81