Nellum flexes muscle in the 200m
07-02-2005
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Melvin Jackson II
Communications Coordinator
USA Track & Field
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Knoxville, Tenn., - Bryshon Nellum ran the fastest 200 meter time in today\'s competition by any male in winning his division at the USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Tennessee\'s Tom Black Track.
The 16-year-old Nellum of Los Angeles, Calif., scorched the first 100 meters on the track, but eased up the last few meters to win the intermediate boys 200m title in 21.30. \"I did not run as hard as I was able to because I slowed down the last 10 meters,\" said Nellum. \"I had a great start and sped up on the curb and just relaxed down the straightaway.\" Nellum\'s time would have also won the young men\'s division in the 200m final. The current intermediate boys\' record is 21.10 seconds set in 1995 by William Obea Moore of Los Angeles.
In an amazing photo finish, William Johnson of the Cin Express Track Club came from behind to win the young men\'s 800m final. Johnson ran 1:54.71 (FAT .704) to barely edge Brandon Jones of Charlotte, N.C., who finished in second-place with a time of 1:54.71 (FAT .709). \"I really could not see him (Johnson) coming up from the fourth lane,\" said Jones. \"The last 10 meters, we were going stride for stride.\"
World youth team member Latavia Thomas of Philadelphia, Pa., cruised 2:09.78 to win the 800m young women\'s division.
Khrystal Carter of San Jose, Calif., pulled ahead the last five meters to win the young women\'s 200m crown against Scottesha Miller of the Gazelle Track Club. A member of the world youth team, Carter ran 23.97 seconds followed by Miller\'s 23.99.
In a highly contested 200m final, Bryan Webb of Knoxville, Tenn., ran 21.53 to win the young men\'s division by a nose followed by world youth team member Devin Mays (21.54) of Oakland, Calif., and David Chaplin (21.55) of the Titans Track Club finishing in third-place.
World youth team member Antonio Novell of Portsmouth, Va., leaped 6.66m/21-10.25 to win the intermediate boys long jump competition. Later in the afternoon, Novell ran 21.66 to finish third in the 200m final of the intermediate boys division.
World youth team member Kamorean Hayes of Charlotte, N.C., tossed 14.83m/48-8 to win the shot put in the intermediate girls division. In hurdles action, world youth team members Cordera Jenkins (14.11) of Dickinson, Texas and April Williams (13.96) of Dallas, Texas ran the fastest qualifying times in their age divisions to advance in the 110m and 100m hurdles respectively.
In a highly contested young women\'s shot put competition, Samantha Musil of Dubois, Neb., surprised herself once again with another championship title. On her final attempt, the 17-year-old Musil tossed 12.80m/42-0 to take the lead over world youth team member Jenny Svoboda. \"This was a big surprise because the shot put is not my strongest event. I was hoping just to get in the top three,\" said Musil. A native of Howells, Neb., Svoboda tossed 12.76m/41-10.5 to finish in second-place. \"This just was not my day, but I did have fun,\" said Svoboda. Later in the afternoon, the 16-year-old Svoboda won the young women\'s javelin throw with a mark of 37.53m/123-1.
Trevon Rainford of Philadelphia, Pa., took the lead with one lap to go to win the young men\'s 5,000m crown. The 17-year-old Rainford finished in 15:38.56 followed by Clay Mayes of the Jenks America Track Club, who finished second in 15:59.41. \"I was about 30 meters behind the leader with four laps to go. I just stayed with the pack and I didn\'t want the leader to get to far away,\" said Rainford. \"I made my move with one lap to go and finished strong,\" Rainford continued.
Brennan Clay of the MLK Blasters Track Club leaped 5.89m/19-4 to win a very close long jump competition in the youth boys division. David Amerson of Greensboro, N.C., finished second with a mark of 5.88m/19-3.5 followed by Trevor Tatum (5.87m/19-3.25) of the Gazelle Track Club in third-place.
For more information on the 2005 USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships, including live results and complete coverage of this year\'s event, visit the USATF website at www.usatf.org.