New Selection Process

INDIANAPOLIS - USA Track & Field on Tuesday announced that it has revamped the process for selecting its team for the IAAF World Youth Athletics Championships.For the first time, the team will be selected based on performances at a Team Trials event - World Youth Track & Field Trials - which will be conducted less than two weeks before the 2009 IAAF World Youth Championships.

Since the inception of the World Youth Championships in 1999, the U.S. team has been selected by a committee, which reviewed the performances of athletes who had competed in one of three national championship events - USA Youth, USA Junior, and USATF Junior Olympics - a full year prior to the World Championships. "Our goal is to send the best possible team to the World Championships, and having a selection meet just prior to the World Championships allows USATF to do this," said USATF Youth Division Chair Lionel Leach. "As is the case with our elite athletes and their teams, our youth athletes will be able to 'select themselves' based on how they perform at a qualifying meet."

The 2009 World Youth Track & Field Trials will be held on June 30 - July 1 in Ypsilanti, Michigan, in conjunction with the first two days of the USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The event will serve as the qualifying event for the 8th IAAF World Youth Championships to be held July 8-12 in Bressanone, Italy. For more information on the 2009 World Youth Track & Field Trials, including qualifying standards to enter the Trials and team selection criteria, please visit http://www.usatf.org/events/2009/WorldYouthAthleticsTrials.

Arkansas Invitational

I'm getting my first real test of the season in January, at the Arkansas Invitational. Hosted at the University of Arkansas, this is one of the premiere high school indoor meets. A lot of great competition will be there competing in the hurdles. I'm feeling real good about this season. With all the work I have done in the off-season, its time to see it in actions. Working with Coach Mcgill, I know I'm on track to do some big things indoors and just bust out this outdoor season. Last year at the meet, Booker Nunley and Wayne Davis of Track Eastern Carolina took 1st and 2nd. Its my turn this year. I have already posted a 7.5 in the 55 meter hurdles, although it was hand time, it was still a fast time. This will be my first 60 meter hurdles race. I'm going there to win!

-Malcolm Nunley

Great Start!

I kicked off the indoor season with three personal records. Last Wednesday at West Johnston High School, I competed in my first meet of the season. I ran in the 55 meter hurdles, 300 meter dash, and the 4x400 meter relay. It was a great meet. I posted a 7.5 in the hurdles, which was better than my time of 8.1 of last year. In the 300 meter dash, I smashed my previous best of 37.75 with a time 35.8. I qualified for the state meet in the hurdles, and missed it in the 300 by .5 seconds. My 300 meter race was promising yet disappointing at the same time because I had great race but still missed the qualification mark. The very next day we had a meet at Wakefield High School. There I competed in the 500 meter dash. I was not to thrilled to run the 500, but the competitive nature in me took over and i just ran it. I forgot to check in, so they made me start on the out side. At the shot of the gun I didn't take out at all. During the race I wanted to quit so bad because I was beginning to feel the the effects of my lunch. I was in the back of the pack getting boxed in, but once I got to the 200 mark it was over. I sucked it up and hoped in lane 3 and kicked all to the finish line. I sucked up everyone in the race to win the 500. I ran the 500 in a time of 1:08.4, a new personal record and yet again falling short of the qualification standards by .4 seconds. I'm feeling real good about this season!

-Malcolm Nunley