Kingston World Junior Championships the best of a decade
21 July 2002 – The
curtain was drawn on the IAAF/Coca Cola World Junior Championships in Kingston
today and for its first ever World Athletic Series held in Jamaica, the IAAF
could not be more than happy with the results and technical level of the
competition.
With a total of three
World Junior records – and two more to be ratified by 31 December 2002 –Kingston
2002 has been the best Championships of the past decade.
Only Sudbury 1988 can
claim a better record with four World junior marks established during that
edition of the Championships.
In the opening edition
of the World Junior Championships in Athens 1986, two world records were set as
one per edition were established in Plovdid 1990, Seoul 1992 and Sydney 1996. No
world records were registered in Lisbon 1994, Annecy 1998 and Santiago de Chile
two years ago.
In addition to Lashinda
Demus’s 54.70 in the 400m hurdles, Carolina Kluft’s extraordinary tally of 6470
points in the heptathlon and the US 4x100m quartet timed in 38.92, the 2002
edition will eventually be credited of the best junior marks for the men’s shot
put and discus throw. The implement being lighter in both disciplines since 1
January 2002 following a decision of the IAAF Council, their marks will be
officially considered as world records on 31 December 2002 should they remain
the best in the world by a junior this year.
A total of 9
Championships records were also bettered in Kingston. Four by the men and five
by the women. The men were Darrel Brown of Trinidad in the 100m, Hillary
Chenonge of Kenya in the 5000m, Louis van Zyl of South Africa in the 400m
hurdles and USA in the 4x100m relay. The women were Lashinda Demus, Carolina
Kluft, Floé Kühnert in the pole vault, Ivana Brkljacic in the hammer throw and
Jamaica in the 4x100m relay.
Eight Continental
records were also registered in Kingston and most impressively 73 national
records.
37 Member Federations
were listed on the medal Table with USA topping the standings (21 medals – 9
gold, 5 silver, 7 bronze) ahead of Kenya (5 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze) and
Ethiopia (3 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze). For the first time in the history of the
championships, Antigua (1 silver), Kazakhstan (1 silver), India (1 bronze) and
Luxembourg (1 bronze) were listed in the medal table.
No fewer than 83
countries had athletes competing in the finals.
The number of countries taking part in the
championships was officially 159 and the athletes competing 1040 – 619 men and
421 women. Kingston 2002 is second only to Annecy 1998 in the list of editions
with the highest number of countries participating. It tops the standings of
participation nations in a World Junior Championship held outside Europe.
With a capacity crowd of 30,000 on the last day
of competition, the Championships ended in tremendous celebration of athletics
and international understanding.
Thank you Kingston - Thank you Jamaica!
