2018 World Juniors women's events

[Powell]

Alina Shukh makes the JT final. She's not that far behind the best on the world U20 list and could potentially be a challenger.

Men's 1500 should be a great race with Tefera, Soget, Manangoi and Ingebrigtsen.

[gm]

Very nice PR for Alice Hill of Michigan in the women's steeple. I think it was only her second career race in the event, and she made the final with a 10:09.15.

[gh]

2018 World Juniors women's events

split

[steveu]

Heartbreaking exit just now for 2 of USA's best: Defending champ Sammy Watson (and her 2:00 teammate Caitlin Collier) both ran 2:03+ in their semis and did not advance.

And just prior to that, 2016 silver medalist Alyssa Wilson (who'd led qualifying), fouled out of the shot put final. She does have 2 other events, however.

[Powell]

Brave race by the Japanese girls in the 3000, and great to see something different to the usual Kenyan-Ethiopian procession in a distance event. I guess the Africans just didn't take their rivals seriously, and they paid for it.

[wamego relays champ]

And just prior to that, 2016 silver medalist Alyssa Wilson (who'd led qualifying), fouled out of the shot put final. She does have 2 other events, however.

That's too bad. Although it did take 17 meters to medal so a podium spot was not a slam-dunk, even though her qualifying throw was 17.02. For some reason she has fewer 17 meter throws this year than in her stellar 2017 season.

[She was 3rd in 2016 WJr, not silver].

[Powell]

Gold for Shukh in the JT! But she appears to have injured herself :-/ With the heptathlon starting tomorrow morning, will she even start there?

[Guest]

Hima Das of India in on quite a trajectory of improvement. A 12.57/24.26 sprinter last year in the first year for which IAAF has information on her, she's now a 23.10/51.13 runner who was sixth in the Commonwealth Games in 51.32. At this rate she'll be under 50 next year.

https://www.iaaf.org/athletes/india/hima-das-319678

This is just her third year of running, that's astounding:

https://www.firstpost.com/sports/hima-das-steals-show-at-national-senior-athletics-championships-wins-gold-in-200m-to-book-asian-games-2018-ticket-4616391.html

[Atticus]

Defending champ Sammy Watson (and her 2:00 teammate Caitlin Collier) both ran 2:03+ in their semis and did not advance.

Did NOT see that coming - I think a lot of us had realistic hopes for a 1-2.

[nztrackfan]

That's too bad. Although it did take 17 meters to medal so a podium spot was not a slam-dunk, even though her qualifying throw was 17.02. For some reason she has fewer 17 meter throws this year than in her stellar 2017 season.

[She was 3rd in 2016 WJr, not silver].

Another shot put gold medalist for little old New Zealand at a global championship!

[Master Po]

Brave race by the Japanese girls in the 3000, and great to see something different to the usual Kenyan-Ethiopian procession in a distance event. I guess the Africans just didn't take their rivals seriously, and they paid for it.

Excellent work by Tanaka, especially. I have not seen the race yet, but judging by the results and splits, it seems she was in charge pretty much throughout. Even though she is just 18yo (will be 19 in a couple of months), she has about as much championship experience as one can get at such an age: 8th in the 3k at the 2016 edition of this championship; 4th in the 1500 at the 2017 Asian Championships; won the 3k (in similar front-running way) at the Asian U20 championship last month. To go with this 8:54.01 PB, she has a 4:15.43 1500 best from a couple of years ago (when she was still 16) and a 15:31.65 best from a couple of weeks ago.

[Powell]

Excellent work by Tanaka, especially. I have not seen the race yet, but judging by the results and splits, it seems she was in charge pretty much throughout.

The two Japanese ran away from the field on the first lap. I actually think it was Wada who led for most of the time, but both were taking turns in the lead. The Ethiopians were closing in the last few laps, but they just left it too late. Wada died on the last lap, but Tanaka had enough left in the tank to finish strongly.

[Powell]

Hima Das of India in on quite a trajectory of improvement. A 12.57/24.26 sprinter last year in the first year for which IAAF has information on her, she's now a 23.10/51.13 runner who was sixth in the Commonwealth Games in 51.32. At this rate she'll be under 50 next year.

That's if she's allowed to continue competing...

[aaronk]

That's if she's allowed to continue competing...

Meaning??

[Powell]

The Semenya rule.