Posted: July 8, 2004

Athletics: Team USA roster announced for the 2004 IAAF World Junior Championships

GROSETTO, Italy - USA Track & Field announced Team USA for the 10th IAAF World Junior Track & Field Championships in Grosseto, Italy, July 13-18. Prior to the World Junior Championships, Team USA plans to compete on July 7-8 against teams from Australia, Bermuda and Puerto Rico in a Pre-Meet.

The U.S. roster was selected at the 2004 USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships, June 25-27, in College Station, Texas. Leading the way is Verizon Men's Outstanding Athletes of the Meet from the USA Junior Championships LaShawn Merritt who won both the 200m (20.72) and 400m (46.80) crowns. The 17-year-old Merritt won the 2004 Virginia high school state 100m, 200m and 400m crowns and will be a freshman at East Carolina University this fall, joining head coach Bill Carson who is member of the World Junior coaching staff.

Other athletes to watch includes the 2004 NCAA 400m hurdles champion Kerron Clemment from the University of Florida; U.S. high school 5,000m record holder and University of Richmond-bound Caitlian Chock; American junior hammer throw record holder and North Carolina Tarheel, Nick Owens should all continue success on foreign soil. In the multi-events, Chris Helwick and Jangy Addy, both from the University of Tennessee, should lead a strong field in the men’s decathlon.

Team USA members from last year’s Pan Am Junior team in Barbados includes newly crowned 100m sprint champion and UNLV signee, Ashley Owens who will go toe-to-toe with fellow Team USA teammate bound for the University of South Carolina Shalonda Solomon, who won both 100m and 200m Pan Am Junior titles. Solomon will be joined by future teammate at South Carolina, Natasha Hastings who grabbed a 4x400m relay gold-medal at Pan Am Juniors Hastings. Other gold medalists from Pan Am Juniors are high jump champion Sharon Day of Cal-Poly Slo and 5,000m champion Galen Rupp of Portland, Ore.

The World Junior Championships have been an introduction to international competition for many U.S. athletes. Many have moved on to enjoy achievements following their appearances at the IAAF World Junior Championships, including 25 athletes who competed at the 2004 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Previous Team USA members that have competed at IAAF World Junior Championships include Marion Jones, Terrence Trammell, Adam Nelson, Amy Acuff and Suzy Favor-Hamilton.

One of Florida’s most successful high school coaches and a veteran on Team USA’s coaching staff, Ken Brauman will lead the men’s team in Grosseto, while 2004 NEMAC athletic conference Coach of the Year and head coach at Smith College, Carla Coffey will head the women’s team. “We have a lot of great talent this year and we are expecting some good things,” said Coach Coffey.

The complete USA roster and World Junior Championships meet schedule is available online at the USATF website, www.usatf.org, along with complete results and quotes from the 2004 IAAF World Junior Track & Field Championships.

2004 IAAF World Junior Championships - USA Men's Team Roster

Athlete                   Event(s)            PR(s)               Ht.       Wt.        DOB         Affiliation/Hometown
Jangy Addy              Dec                   7102                6-2       192        02Mar85    Tennessee/Norcross, Ga.
Kyle Alcorn             3000SC             8:54.00            6-1       180        18Mar85    Oregon/Clovis, Calif.
Keith Bechtol           10000                29:58.13          5-10     120        23Jan85     William & Mary/Alexandria, Va.
Russell Brown          1500                  3:47.03            5-11     150        06Mar85    Stanford/Hanover, NH
Matt Carter              HJ                     2.15                 6-2       153        21Nov85   San Ana JC/San Ana, Calif.
Kerron Clement       400H                 48.77               6-2       184        31Oct85    Florida/Laporte, Texas 
Justin Clickett           SP                     58-9.5              6-3       260        12Apr85    Union City, Pa.
Kevin Craddock      110H                 13.83                                         25Jun87     High School/San Pablo, Calif.
Jason Craig              4x400m                                                               09Jan85     Hubert Heights, Oh.
Norris Frederick      LJ                      7-1                   6-0       175        17Feb85    Washington/Seattle,Wash.
Brandon Glenn         PV                     17-6.75            6-0       180        30Jul85      Arizona State/Avondale, Ariz.
Kenneth Hall            TJ                      51-8.75            6-2       185        17Apr86    Baton Rouge, La.
Timothy Harris         800                                                                     11Oct85    Booker T. Washington HS/Miami, Fla.
Chris Helwick          Dec                   7358                6-4       190        18Mar85    Tennessee/Greely, Colo.
Keith Hinnant           4x400m                                                               25Jun86     Bay Shore, NY
James Hower           10000                30:26.00          6-0       160        15Jan85     Georgetown/Marion, Va.
Paul Hubbard           TJ                      15.69               6-4       206        12June85   Wisconsin/Colorado Springs, Colo.
Brandon Johnson     400H                 48.85               5-9       150        02Mar85    UCLA/Orange, Texas
Trell Kimmons         4x100                10.34                                         13Jul85      Mississippi State/Coldwater, Miss.
Jens Kujacznski       DT                     62.43               6-0       220        01Apr85    Central Arizona/Los Gatos, Calif.
Carey Lacour           200m                 20.84               5-11     175        17Feb85    Humble HS/Humble, Texas
Cory Martin             SP/HT               19.79               6-5       275        22May85   Auburn/Bloomington, Ind.
Marcus Mayes         800                    149.94             5-10     148        10Mar85    Missouri/Sand Springs, Okla.
LaShawn Merritt      200/400             45.37               6-2       180        27Jun86     Woodrow Wilson HS/Portsmouth Va.
Aries Merritt            100H                 13.47               6-2       160        24Jul85      Tennesse/Marrietta, Ga.
Robert McDade       DT                     51.55               6-4       210        06Jul85      Villanova/Broomall, Pa.
Josh McDougal        5000                  14:12               5-10     135        01Jun85     home schooled/Peru, NY
Michael McGrath     800                    1:48.50            5-7       130        17Mar85    Lincoln HS/Portland, Ore.
Demi Omole            Sprints               10.14               5-9       160        29July85    Wisconsin/Milwaukee, Wisc.
Marcus Pugh            200                    21.03                                         17Mar86    Tulsa, Okla.
Anthony Ramirez      Sprints               46.91               5-8       145        28Apr85    Azusa Pacific Univ/Simi Valley, Calif.
Michael Rodgers      4x100m             10.31               5-9       158        24Apr85    Lindenwood/ St. Louis, Mo.
Galen Rupp              5000                  13:55               5-11     135        08May86   Central Catholic HS/Portland, Ore.
Derek Scott             3000SC             9:03.06            6-0       150        07Nov85   Cornerstone/Grand Rapids, Mich.
David Torrence        1500/3000SC    3:47.63            5-9       138        26Nov85   Cal Berkeley/Tarzana, Calif.
Matt Weirich            PV                     5.10                 5-11     180        14Mar83    BYU/Fredericksburg, Texas
Andrew Vogelsberg JT                      67.98               6-5       240        22Feb85    Emporia State/Marysville, Kan.
Ivory Williams          100                    10.27               5-8       170        02May85   Central HS/Beaumont, Texas
Darren Woods         4x400m             46.99               6-2       170        11Feb85    Cal Berkeley/Tacoma, Wash.
(*note: men's decathlon, shot put and discus PR's are for the new junior international implements - 6kg SP/1.75kg DT)

USA Women's Team Roster
Athlete                   Event(s)            PR(s)               Ht.       Wt.        DOB         Affiliation/Hometown
Ronetta Alexander   100H                 13.22               5-6       130        08May85   South Carolina/Buffalo, NY
Alexandria Anderson                         4x400m                                     28Jan87     Morgan Park HS/Chicago, Ill
Jasmine Balwin         4x100m                                                               27Sep86    West Covina, Calif.
Sarah Bowman        1500                  4:23.8              5-6       120        15Oct86    Fauquier HS/Warrenton, Va.
Juanita Broaddus      4x100m             11.81               5-6       112        14July85    Barton CC/Philadelphia, PA
Kristen Callan          HT                     59.11               5-7       192        05Apr85    Virginia Tech/Monroe, NY
Michelle Carter        TJ                      56-7                 5-9       230        12Oct85    Texas/Ovilla, Texas
Caitlin Chock           5,000                 16:10.60          5-5       110        08Jan86     Richmond/Roseville, Calif.
Shana Cox               4x100m                                                               22Jan85     Penn State/University Park, Pa.
Sharon Day              HJ                     1.90                 5-8       140        09Jun85     Cal Poly Slo/Costa Mesa, Calif.
Jessica Eldridge        1500                  4:18.30            5-8       120        09May85   Oklahoma/Norman, Okla.
Melissa Faubus        DT/SP               170-1/49-7.5   5-5       210        17Mar86    Cal-Berkeley/Baskerfield, Calif.
Jenny Green             PV                     13-11.25          5-8       150        26Jun85     Nebraska/Grand Island, Neb.
Lindsay Grigoriew    DT                     167-3               5-7       160        07Oct85    Kansas State/Laurel, Md.
Amber Harper         3000SC             10:21               5-4       105        23Apr85    BYU/Orem, Utah
Natasha Hastings     400                    52.09               5-8       138        23Jul86      South Carolina/Queens, NY
Catherine Hayes       10k Walk          53:04               5-4                    29May87   Oconomowoc, Wisc.
Laci Heller               HT                     186-7               5-7       185        21Mar85    Kansas State/Manhattan, Kan.
Gayle Hunter            Hep                   5328                5-9       140        08Apr86    Penn State/Riverside, Calif.
Deonna Lawrence    4x400                53.74               5-9       144        21Mar86    Sheldon HS/Elk Grove, Calif.
Nicole Leach           400H                 57.84               5-8       140        18July87    West Catholic HS/Philadelphia, Pa.
Deonna Lawrence    200/400                                                              21Mar86    Sheldon HS/Sacramento, Calif.
Yvette Lewis            TJ                      44-0.5                                       16Mar85    Hampton/Newport News, Va.
Johnsie Liles             4x400m                                                               25May85   Raleigh, NC
Stevie Marshalek     PV                     13-3                                          01Jun85     Black Diamond, Wash.
Amy Menlove          LJ                      6.44                 5-5       140        23Jul85      BYU/Sandy, Utah
Erica McLain           LJ                      6.17                 5-8       132        24Jan86     Stanford/Plano, Texas
Inkka McPherson    HJ                     6-0                   5-4       119        29Sep86    Port Author, Texas
Maria Michta           10k Walk          54:12               5-5                    23Jun86     Nesconset, NY
Shantia Moss           100H                 13.51               5-9       148        27Oct85    Tamarac, Fla.
Ashley Owens          100m/4x100m   11.12               5-2       117        19Nov85   UNLV/Colorado Springs, Colo.
Shalonda Solomon   100                    11.51               5-6.5    123        19Dec85    South Carolina/Inglewood, Calif.
Stephanie Smith       400m/4x400m   51.96               5-9       132        27Jun85     South Carolina/Macon, Ga
Selina Sekulic           3,000steeple      10:35.00          5-6       112        17Aug85    Wake Forest/Virginia Beach, Va.     
Latavia Thomas        800                    2:07.51            5-8       112        14Dec88    West Catholic HS/Philadelphia, Pa.
Cleo Tyson              4x100m                                                               01May86   Tennessee/Huntsville, Texas
Michaela Wallerstedt SP                    50-3                 5-10     190        23Jan87     Burke HS/Omaha, Neb.
Mallory Webb          JT                     162-10             5-5       155       10Jun85      Fresno State/Fresno, Calif.  

From USATF.