LIMA, PERU, August 27–31 — With a record-breaking run in the 110 hurdles, Auburn frosh Ja’Kobe Tharp helped lead the U.S. men to 9 medals at the World U20 (Junior) Championships at the Estadio Atlético de la Videna. The event came on the penultimate day, with Tharp (13.05) and Florida State frosh Andre Korbmacher (13.14) grabbing the top two spots on the podium.
Tharp, now a soph, had run 13.11 in the heats for the No. 2 U.S. performance ever. In the final, his 13.05 gets AJR status, topping the 13.08 that North Carolina prep Wayne Davis ran in 2009. The time also makes Tharp No. 5 all-time on the World Junior list for the 39-inch barriers.
“I knew to get the goal,” said Tharp, “my time was gonna have to be faster and I came out and did that. That’s all I wanted… I came out here to get the gold.”
Florida recruit Vance Nilsson captured the 400H gold in a PR 49.26, building up a big lead in lane 2 and holding off faster finishers, led by Czechia’s Michal Rada in 49.30.
U.S. gold also went to high jumper Scottie Vines, an Arkansas recruit who PRed with a 7-4½ (2.25) to top Matteo Sioli of Italy, who cleared 7-3¾ (2.23).
Iowa recruit Bryce Ruland surprised many by scoring gold in the discus, hurling the platter out to 205-4 (62.59) on his first effort. The mark makes him No. 6 all-time among U.S. Juniors.
The U.S. 4×4 won gold convincingly, the foursome of Jayden Davis, Xavier Donaldson, Alexander Rhodes and Sidi Njie putting together a 3:03.56 to top South Africa by 1.66. The other relays did not go so well for the Americans. In the 4×1, a missed first pass in the heats doomed the team. The mixed relay brought misfortune of another sort, as the U.S. neglected to enter a team.
South Africa’s Bayanda Walaza won a sprint double in 10.19 and 20.52. Another South African, Udeme Okon, won the 400 in 45.69 ahead of Americans Jayden Davis (46.08) and Njie (46.29).
Ethiopians General Berhanu Ayansa (1:46.86) and Abdisa Fayisa (3:40.51) took the 800 and 1500, with Kenya’s Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi (13:41.14) edging Fayisa in the 5000. Impressing most in the distances was Edmund Serem. The 16-year-old Kenyan took the steeple with a strong finish in 8:15.28, pulling clear of teammate Matthew Kosgei (8:17.46) on the final lap. In 6th, Wyatt Haughton moved to No. 2 among U.S. Juniors at 8:38.34.
In addition to Ruland and Vines, the field events also produced a solid triple jump silver for Karson Gordon. No longer eligible for prep records since he started at UCLA in June, he took 2nd behind New Zealand’s Ethan Olivier (55-9¾/17.01) with a mark that would otherwise have been an HSR, 54-11¼ (16.74).
WORLD JUNIOR MEN’S RESULTS
(U20 implements)
100(-0.9): 1. Bayanda Walaza (SA) 10.19; 2. Phooripol Bunson (Tha) 10.22; 3. Bradley Nkoana (SA) 10.26. Heats: IV(-0.8)–3. Jaden Wiley (US) 10.59. Semis: III(-0.2)–4. Brayden Williams (US) 10.46.
200(-0.7): 1. Walaza 20.52; 2. Gout Gout (Aus) 20.60 PR; 3. Jake Odey-Jordan (GB) 20.81;… 5. Wiley 21.17. Semis: II(-1.2)–6. Jesse Myers (US) 21.80.
400: 1. Udeme Okon (SA) 45.69; 2. Jayden Davis (US) 46.08; 3. Sidi Njie (US) 46.29.
800: 1. General Berhanu Ayansa (Eth) 1:46.86; 2. Peyton Craig (Aus) 1:46.95; 3. Ko Ochiai (Jpn) 1:47.03;… 8. Daniel Watcke (US) 1:50.55. Semis: I–3. Watcke 1:47.68. III–4. Michael Long (US) 1:49.05.
1500: 1. Abdisa Fayisa (Eth) 3:40.51; 2. Cameron Myers (Aus) 3:40.60; 3. Alex Pintado (Spa) 3:41.03;… 5. Carter Cutting (US) 3:43.36;… 7. Trent McFarland (US) 3:44.32.
3000: 1. Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen (Nor) 8:20.56; 2. Denis Kipkoech (Ken) 8:20.79; 3. Edward Bird (GB) 8:21.00.
St: 1. Edmund Serem (Ken) 8:15.28; 2. Matthew Kosgei (Ken) 8:17.46 PR; 3. Hailu Ayalew (Eth) 8:24.08 PR;…
6. Wyatt Haughton (US) 8:38.34 (2, 2 AJ).
Heats: I–15. Luke Knepp (US) 9:33.17.
5000: 1. Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi (Ken) 13:41.14; 2. Abdisa Fayisa (Eth) 13:41.56; 3. Kenneth Kiprop (Uga) 13:41.73.
110H(-0.5): 1. Ja’kobe Tharp (US) 13.05 AJR (old AJR 13.08 Wayne Davis [NCHS] ’09) (5, =7 WJ);
2. Andre Korbmacher (US) 13.14 PR (3, 6 AJ);
3. Yuanjiang Chen (Chn) 13.21 PR.
Semis: III(-0.6)–1. Tharp 13.11 PR (2, 2 AJ).
400H: 1. Vance Nilsson (US) 49.26 PR; 2. Michal Rada (CzR) 49.30 PR; 3. Antti Sainio (Fin) 49.61; 4. Njabulo Mbatha (SA) 49.68. Semis: III–6. Premier Wynn (US) 52.76.
10,000W: 1. Rayen Cherni (Tun) 39:24.85 PR (9, 10 WJ);
2. Emiliano Barba (Mex) 39:27.10 PR; 3. Giuseppe Disabato (Ita) 39:31.25 PR.
4 x 100: 1. Jamaica 39.18; 2. Great Britain 39.20; 3. Thailand 39.39). Heats: II… dnf—United States.
4 x 400: 1. United States 3:03.56; 2. South Africa 3:05.22; 3. Australia 3:05.53.
Mx4 x 400: 1. Australia 3:19.27; 2. Poland 3:20.44; 3. China 3:21.27. (United States forgot to enter a team)
Field Events
HJ: 1. Scottie Vines (US) 7-4½ (2.25) PR; 2. Matteo Sioli (Ita) 7-3¾ (2.23) PR; 3. Kaisei Nakatani (Jpn) 7-2¼ (2.19);… 7. Tito Alofe (US) 6-9¾ (2.08).
PV: 1. Hendrik Müller (Ger) 17-10½ (5.45); 2. Rikuya Yoshida (Jpn) 17-8½ (5.40) PR; 3. Jan Krček (CzR) 17-4½ (5.30) PR;… 5. Bryce Barkdull (US) 17-¾ (5.20); 6. Victor Olesen (US) 16-6¾ (5.05).
LJ: 1. Roko Farkaš (Cro) 26-9¾w (8.17) (25-7½/7.81); 2. Luka Bošković (Ser) 26-¼ (7.93); 3. Mason McGroder (Aus) 25-7¼ (7.80) PR. Qual(dnq): Juriad Hughes (US) 23-11½ (7.30), Josh Parrish (US) 23-8 (7.21).
TJ: 1. Ethan Olivier (NZ) 55-9¾ (17.01) =NR;
2. Karson Gordon (US) 54-11¼ (16.74) PR (6, x AJ);
3. Yinglong Ma (Chn) 53-5¾ (16.30) PR;… 5. Sterling Scott (US) 52-9½ (16.09). Qual: Scott 53-5½ (16.29) PR, Gordon 53-1½ (16.19) =PR
SP: 1. Jarno Van Daalen (Neth) 68-1½ (20.76) PR; 2. Jl Van Rensburg (SA) 68-½ (20.74) PR; 3. Georg Harpf (Ger) 66-6½ (20.28);… 7. Tyler Michelini (US) 64-5¼ (19.64). Qual(dnq): Ben Smith (US) 3f.
DT: 1. Bryce Ruland (US) 205-4 (62.59) PR (6, 8 AJ);
2. Jarno Van Daalen (Neth) 204-1 (62.22) PR; 3. Mico Lampinen (Fin) 204-1 (62.20) PR;… 9. Roury McCloyen (US) 193-9 (59.07).
HT: 1. Iosef Kesides (Cyp) 271-8 (82.80) PR (6, x WJ);
2. Roland Imre (Hun) 247-1 (75.33) PR; 3. Ármin Szabados (Hun) 245-8 (74.88); 4. Ryan Johnson (US) 236-7 (72.13).
Qual: Johnson 239-1 (72.88) PR (9, x AJ);
… dnq—Parker Kim (US) 204-8 (62.39).
JT: 1. Tom Teršek (Slo) 252-0 (76.81); 2. Xiaobo Wang (Chn) 247-8 (75.50); 3. Oisin Joyce (Ire) 242-5 (73.89) PR;… 12. Paul Catalanatto (US) 213-3 (65.01).
Dec(8/29-30): 1. Tomas Järvinen (CzR) 8425 PR; 2. Hubert Trościanka (Pol) 8230 PR; 3. Florian Vriezen (Neth) 7820 PR;… 22. Kenneth Byrd (US) 5950; 23. Brayden Richards (US) 5652.