Courtesy: USATF

Team USA won 10 gold medals as they began preparations for the 2002 IAAF World Junior Track & Field Championships, July 16-21 in Kingston, Jamaica. Competing against junior athletes from Australia, Cuba and the Bahamas at the Texaco Top Athletes Pre-World Meet at Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas, Team USA led all the countries in the medal count through day 1, including two gold each for Laura Gerraughty (UNC) and Lauryn Williams (Miami).

"I am extremely pleased with our performance today," said women's head coach Monica Gary (Purdue). Our athletes have done a tremendous job in the two days that we've been together. To come in and win the number of medals that we did on Thursday with just one day of practice. We are very optimistic about our training and preparations for the World Junior Championships."

Gerraughty, a member of the 2000 USA World Junior Team in Santiago, Chile, won the women's shot put (17.54 meters/57 feet, 6.5 inches) and hammer throw (61.02m/200-2), while Williams, making her Team USA debut, won the 100m dash (11.54) and ran lead off for the gold medal winning 4x100m relay team.

Team USA swept the women's 1500m with Sara Bei (Stanford) leading the way in 4:42.81. She was followed closely by Laura Zeigle (South Jordan, Utah) in 4:43.77 and Lindsey Zinn (Purdue) in 4:45.55.

The night ended with fast times in the 4x100m relays for both the women and the men. Team USA 'A' won in 43.76, the fourth fastest U.S. Junior 4x100m relay time, with Williams (Miami), Allyson Felix (LA Baptist (CA) HS), Marshavet Hooker (Southwest (TX) HS) and Sanya Richards (St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) HS), while Team USA 'B' finished fourth in 46.81. Ashlee Williams (Bishop Dunne (TX) HS), Brooklyn Hann (Kansas), Shalonda Solomon (Long Beach Poly (CA) HS) and Sheena Gordon (McDowell (PA) HS) ran for Team USA 'B'. In the men's race, Team USA 'A' and Team USA 'B' both broke the 40 second mark and finished 1-2 in the race. USA 'A' was comprised of of Bershawn Jackson (Central (FL) HS), Rashard Allen (CSU-Northridge), Ivory Williams (Central (TX) HS) and Willie Hordge (Forest Brook (TX) HS) and edged USA 'B' with a winning time of 39.41. USA 'B' lead off with Ashton Collins (Clark (LA) HS), who handed off to Wes Felix (Southern California), Rubin Williams (Valley Christian (CA) HS) and Jeremy Wariner (Lamar (TX) HS) and finished just behind USA 'A' in 39.68.

Off the track, Plano, Texas native Erica McLain (East HS) won the women's long jump with a mark of 6.10m/20-0.25, while Lindsey Johnson (BYU) won the women's javelin with a mark of 50.89m/167-0.

In the other men's finals, Kenneth Ferguson (Mumford (MI) HS) won gold and bronze in his Team USA debut. Ferguson began the day at the 110m hurdles, finishing in 14.31, just off the winning time of 13.93 by U.S. teammate Antwon Hicks (Mississippi). Ferguson finished off his day with a win in the 400m dash in 46.59. Off the track, Sean Shields (Arizona) won the men's shot put with a mark of 20.65m/67-9. Shields will compete in the men's discus on Friday.

The Texaco Top Athletes Pre-World Meet provides U.S. athletes an opportunity to compete together before traveling to the 2002 IAAF World Junior Championships. Friday will be the final day of competition for Team USA, who will travel to Kingston over the weekend for the World Junior Championships.