IAAF World Youth Championships Day 1 Recap

Day 1 AM Session Recap

Alexis Duncan Runs 13.13, World Youth Lead in 100m Hurdles

Alexis Duncan of DeSoto, Texas cruised 13.13 to win her heat of the 100m hurdles, which is not only the fastest time in the world this year but ranks No. 4 on the All-Time World Youth List.

"I felt awesome because I have been working really hard for this," she said. "To know that I finally got the world lead means a lot to me, and it motivates me to go even faster."

The hurdles at World Youth measure 76.2cm or 30 inches, which is slightly shorter than the high school regulation size 33 inches. Duncan, the Texas state champion, ranks US #3 this year with her best of 13.20 on high school regulation size hurdles.

"I was so ready to run. I was practicing in the hotel room on the floor - my block starts," she told USATF. "This track is amazing. It just made me run even faster."

Team USA made a clean sweep of the 400m heats, as all four representatives won their respective heats and lead overall qualifiers into the next round. Josephus Lyles of T.C. Williams, Va. is the top boys seed after round one with his winning time of 46.26, with Keshun Reed of Arlington, Texas, ranked No. 5 with his heat-winning time of 46.98. Jamal Walton of Everglades, Florida also qualified for the final with his time of 47.35; he is representing the Cayman Islands.

On the girls side, Lynna Irby of Pike, Ind. ranks No. 2 after round one in winning her heat in 53.49, while Symone Mason of Miami Southridge, Florida advances ranked No. 7 with her heat-winning time of 54.41. Kyra Constantine of Canada ran the fastest prelim time of 53.20.

Justes Nance of Blair Academy, N.J. jumped US #4 25-0 for a lifetime best and to advance into the long jump finals ranked third overall.

Read the full recap from USATF here.
Read the morning recap from IAAF here.