US boys Blank Haney and Grant Fisher spank Africans and win 1500 semis at 2013 World Youths

Haney (DOB 3/29/1996 - 17 years 103 days old) is a junior from California and is the state champ there. He has pbs of 4:06.91 for 1600 and 8:48.58 for 3200.

Fisher (DOB 4/22/1997 - 16 years 80 days old) is just a sophomore and from Michigan. He was 8th at New Balance nationals in 4:12.74 for the full mile. His 3200 pb is 9:04.33.

IAAF recap of action is here: http://www.iaaf.org/news/report/favourites-fall-on-morning-of-surprises-in-do

IAAF wrote:

Perhaps inspired by the likes of World bronze medallist Matt Centrowitz and Olympic silver medallist Leo Manzano, US athletes won two of the three 1500m heats.

Blake Haney ran away from the field in the final 300m to win the second heat in 3:51.95. His team-mate Grant Fisher won a closer third heat in 3:50.30, the fastest time of the day. The first heat was won by Ethiopia’s Mathiwos Yotota in 3:54.98, while Kenyan favourites Titus Kibiego and Robert Biwott both progressed.

US athletes performed well in the girls’ 800m heats too, where Ersula Farrow was one of the heat winners and team-mate Raevyn Rogers progressed comfortably in second place in her heat.

Blank Haney? Were his parents Richard Hell fans or something?

Grant Fisher and Blake Haney each won their respective 1500 semi-finals this morning and qualified for the finals. Grant ran 3:50.3; Blake ran 3:51.95.

Prior to this morning, no American had ever won a semi at World Jrs.

Final is Sunday at 4:45 in Ukraine. I've seen a few links on LR but this one is a live feed.

http://www.linkupvideos.com/the-8th-iaaf-world-youth-championships-2013-live-stream-donetsk-ukraine-video_ce750b5e9.html

Bet you neither wins the final.

"Won" a semi-final? Are you this guy?

http://www.letsrun.com/2004/usatfsmith/images/800m-men_.jpg

kartelite wrote:

"Won" a semi-final? Are you this guy?

http://www.letsrun.com/2004/usatfsmith/images/800m-men_.jpg

Or this guy:

At least your guy actually was in first. My guy ended up 2nd at Big East champs.

But Wilson (albeit an idiot) did that in the final, not a semi.

His name is BLAKE HANEY

And I'm not sure I like my name attached to the new arrogant title of the thread. I am happy Grant won his heat (Blake too), I coach Grant, but I don't like talking negatively about our competitors - especially considering we will see them all again on Sunday.

Congrats to both for making the final. Obviously winning your heat

does not mean much. But making the final is great.

Will they "spank" the Africans in the final? Going to be tough...

Robert Kiptoo Biwott, KEN 1:46.98/3:38.5

These kids must be huge bumbi fans

1st heat winner closed in 40! so, grant and blake (42 finishes) have little chance. but fine to do this much, and haney's already run terrific times for his age.

Hi Coach - fantastic job with Grant!! Anyone who discounts Grant doesn't realize he is a RACER. I was with the Saline and Dexter Coaches last night talking about Grant and EVERYONE is proud of him and what he has done SO FAR. Wonderful family and athlete. Blake is a super runner as well. I'm sure they are becoming friends, which is a great thing too.

Enjoy and good luck later this week. We are all pulling for him!

they may or may not beat the Africans in the final but we have to acknowledge that they beat them in the semis. Good job

Turkeybacon wrote:

Congrats to both for making the final. Obviously winning your heat

does not mean much. But making the final is great.

Will they "spank" the Africans in the final? Going to be tough...

Robert Kiptoo Biwott, KEN 1:46.98/3:38.5

Here's Marc Davis winning the semis in the 1996 Olympics.

Finished last in the final, 44 seconds behind the winner.

I agree with the OP. How about we show more respect and change the title back to what it was. Truth is they're probably not going to win the finals and even if they do, there should still be respect among competitors.

skinnbones wrote:

Prior to this morning, no American had ever won a semi at World Jrs.

It's my understanding that the World Youth Championships is not the same as the World Jr Championships. This is an age thing, yes? World Youth may be for 17 or 18 y.o. or younger, while World Jrs. is 19 and under.

Either way, I believe World Jrs is historically more competitive and prestigious, but I may have this wrong.

Yes, the 'Davis '96 semi to final' disparity in performance, that is an outlier. It's significant to be capable of physically guaranteeing an auto qualification to the finals by winning. It does bode well that they're capable of competing in the front half of the final if their young bodies can recover and they manage the race well.

So the real question should be, has an American ever won a World Youth OR World Jr Semi? And if yes, which events?

On a quick check of the IAAF website history, an American has won a semi of the 200 meters at both the Youth and the Junior champs, so it has happened, as I think people would expect in the sprint events at least.

Maybe the OP was referring to the 1500m event in particular.

Sheesh... on some of these posts.

It is the World YOUTH champs, yes, and for kids born in 96 or 97, which means 16 and 17. For U.S., mostly kids finishing soph or jr year, with occasional instances of kids old enough to be competing after frosh year -- like long jump stud-ette Cortney Corrin and a few others.

So, let's take this for what it is. Yes, it's true that winning semis does not translate into winning finals. Yes, it's true that there's some 3:38-3:45 talent in this field and neither U.S. kid is likely to run that in the final.

Remember that Jacob Burcham was 7th in this meet two years ago with 3:46.55, a prep soph record at the time. I don't know if Haney or Fisher will run quite that fast, but I expect both to break 3:50 in the final and acquit themselves well.

The World Youth started in 1999 and this is the 8th edition. Burcham is highest placer ever for U.S. in 1500 and we've never had 2 in the final before. So this is very good and both kids should do well in the final. Congrats to them and both of their coaches. Lots of excitement these days for U.S. distance kids!

Both 1500 girls, Alexa Efraimson (4:16 PR) and Anna Maxwell (4:25) made the final, too! Efraimson should fight for top 5 or so, as well.