2002 Juniors Continue to Show Future Promise

Many of theWorld's top Junior Hurdlers from the 2002 season, have already shown that they are looking to develop into seroiuys contenders on the senior scene as the early 2003 season starts to unfold in the USA, South Africa and China.

The top three from the Jamaican 400H u20 men's final have already run low 49 seconds in 2003, with Champion Louis van Zyl [South Africa] clocking 49.22 for 3rd in Durban, whilst the two American medalists [Bershawn Jackson and Kenneth Fergusson] both clocked 49.29 to win separate meets in Collegiate meets on the same day.

Both van Zyl and Fergusson are juniors again this year, although only the South african sensation will hve the opportunity to defend his World Junior title in 2004

On the men's sprint hurdles side China's Liu Xiang who set a world junior record last year with 13.11, is already up to speed setting a world leading 13.21 to take his national title, whilst in second place Shi Dongpeng clocked 13.57 for the best time by a junior in 2003.

Van Zyl's performance is just a part of an extremely strong men's event in South Africa. Even discounting 2000 Olympic bronze medallist Llewllyn Herbert [47.81pb] World Universide Champion Alywn Myburgh who took the 2001 crown in 48.09 and Martin Wilhelmse who also dipped below 49 seconds in the same Bejing final, none of whom have yet found that level of form, van Zyl still only lies 3rd on the 2003 South African lists, [though 4th in the World at this early stage] behind Ockert Czillers who has twice run below 49 seconds including a World leading 48.61A in Pretoria and Marnus Kritzinger whose 48.92 at sea level in Durban was fractionally behind Jamaican Ian Weeklys winning and non altitude world best time.

With Surita Febbario having run an altitude assisted 54.05 to put her at least in sight of Austarlian Jana Pitmann's stunning early season form, the South Africans must be hoping for a strong showing in Paris and Daegu later in the summer.

11th April 2003