Posted: July 18, 2005

Athletics: Williams and relays put Team USA atop medal table

Marrakech, Morocco - April Williams and the boys' and girls' medley relay teams pushed Team USA atop the medals table for the third straight time as the 4th IAAF World Youth Championships came to a close Sunday in Morocco. The Americans won 13 medals overall, six of them gold, ahead of medals runners-up PR of China, who had 8 total medals including five gold medals.

Williams of Dallas, Texas had a slow start, but kept her composure to win the gold medal in the girls 100m hurdles in 13.23 seconds. "I had a bad start so I had to work hard to get back in the race," said Williams. "My goal was to be in the top three because this was more competitive than I thought which made me run better." Natasha Ruddock (13.38) of Jamaica barely beat Team USA member Theresa Lewis by a nose to win the silver medal. Lewis of Baltimore, Md., finished in 13.39 seconds grabbing the bronze medal.

Gold medal number six came in the boys' medley relay (Isaiah Green, Devin Mays, Zach Chandy and Bryshon Nellum), with 400m bronze medalist Nellum anchoring an amazing 400m leg to stop the clock at 1:51.19. Nellum of Los Angeles, Calif., exploded to take the lead with about 40 meters to the finish line. "I stayed relax until it was time to make my move the last 50 meters," said Nellum. Team USA's performance was the fastest youth time in the world this year in the boys' medley relay competition.

In the girls' medley relay final, Team USA cruised to another gold medal. The medley relay team of Khrystal Carter, Ebony Collins, Bianca Knight and Brandi Cross finished in 2:03.93 clocking the fastest youth time in the world this year.

Scott Roth of Granite Bay, Calif., went head to head in the boys' pole vault final against Yansheng Yang of China who won the gold medal. Both Roth and Yang cleared 5.25m/17-2.75 to set a World Youth championship record in the boys' pole vault with Scott grabbing the silver medal because he had more misses than Yang. Jordan Scott of Watkinsville, Ga., finished in fifth-place with a clearance of 5.05m/ 16-6.75 in the boys' pole vault final.

The 2005 World Youth 100m champion, Bianca Knight won the silver medal in the girls' 200m finals. A Mississippi native, Knight ran 23.33 missing a golden opportunity by a nose. Khrystal Carter of San Jose, Calif., finished in fourth-place in 23.61 seconds. "I just did not get out good," said Knight.

Dan Klech of San Ramon, Calif., ran a personal best time of 50.90 seconds in the boys' 400m hurdles to grab the bronze medal. "It has been an awesome experience and happy that I was able to PR in three straight days," said Klech. "I just gave everything I had and wanted to go out there and just do it." Timothy Grier of Powder Springs, Ga., ran 53.30 to finish sixth in 400m hurdles final.

For complete Team USA roster and staff listings, and more information on the 2005 World Youth Track & Field Championships, including results, complete coverage and photos of this year's event, please visit the USATF website at www.usatf.org.

TEAM USA MEDALISTS
GOLD: Bianca Knight (100m); Cordera Jenkins (110m hurdles); Ebony
Collins (400m hurdles); April Williams (100m hurdles), Girls medley
relay; Boys medley relay.
SILVER: Ebony Collins (100m); Bianca Knight (200m), Scott Roth (pole
vault).
BRONZE: Kamorean Hayes (discus throw); Bryshon Nellum (400m); David
Klech (400m hurdles); Theresa Lewis (100m hurdles).