USA U20 championships open Wednesday in Eugene...

After originally announcing that it wasn't going to send a team to the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, USA Track & Field will contest its annual U20 Championships beginning Wednesday at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon, just days after the NCAA championships.

Traditionally, the top two finishers at the U20 who meet the World Athletics standards for the meet will be considered for selection to the team, which competes in Lima August 27-31st.

USATF, however states on its website that "Athletes eligible for selection to the World U20 Championships team must place among the top 6 in their event at the Selection Event AND must have achieved the World Athletics qualifying standard by the conclusion of the Selection Event on June 13, 2024."

Presumably, the language of the top 6 is to protect USATF from late withdrawals, particularly among the collegiate athletes who are expected back in school at the end of August.

A dozen athletes with Washington ties are entered in the meet, led by Emerald Ridge HS grad JaiCieonna Gero-Holt (Paul Merca photo), the defending USA U20 champ in the heptathlon.

Gero-Holt opted to graduate a year early to attend the University of Illinois, after winning the 100 hurdles, shot put and high jump and finishing second in the long jump at the Washington 4A championships last month. She will return to Eugene after the U20s to compete at the US Olympic Trials in the high jump.

Other notable entries include Washington State's Eva Lowder (pule vault), Grant Buckmiller (400) and Gavin Dimick (pole vault); Washington's Jonathan Frazier and Kapiolani Coleman (400H) & Trevontay Smith (triple jump); Curtis HS product Ava Simms of the University of Arizona (400); King's HS grad Adrianna Coleman of the University of California (hammer throw); and high schoolers Victoria Rodriguez (steeplechase), Ella McRitchie (pole vault), and Sydney Collier (steeplechase).

The link to live results for the USA U20 championships, which is being held in conjunction with the Nike Outdoor Nationals high school meet, is available here.

STUFF WE MISSED...

In our haste to leave Eugene after the NCAA championships, we neglected to mention the results of the Katie Moon Pole Vault Classic in Olmstead Falls, Ohio on Saturday.

Moon a former Pullman resident, hosted the meet at her high school alma mater, Olmstead Falls, and won her own meet, clearing 15-6.25 (4.73m).

Complete results of the Katie Moon Pole Vault Classic are available here.

At the European Championships on Tuesday, Washington's Wilma Nielsen of Sweden finished eighth in her semifinal of the 800 meters, running a personal best of 2:00.86, as Great Britain's Keely Hodgkinson won in 1:58.07.

On Wednesday, Washington alum Brian Fay closes out the European Championships in the finals of the men's 10000.

Results of the European Championships are available here.

NOTE: USA Track & Field & the Katie Moon Pole Vault Classic contributed to this report.

paulmerca.blogspot.com may receive a commission for any purchases made from links clicked. Please support this site and our sponsors by clicking on the links. You can also support the site by clicking the yellow "Buy Me A Coffee" link below.