Khalifa St. Fort (centre) retains the girls under 20 100m crown in 11.30 on the first day of the National Gas Company-sponsored T&T Carifta Games Trials at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on Saturday. Shikyla Walcott of Simple (right) and Akeera Esdelle of Pt. Fortin New Jets (left) finished in second and third respectively. (Photo courtesy: Degannes/Mann/Clarke)

TRUJILLO, Perú.- Trinidad and Tobago’s Khalifa St. Fort and USA’s Candace Hill are set for another sprinting showndown heading a line-up of 13 global medallists expected to compete at the 19th Pan American U20 Championships in Athletics, to be held in Trujullo, Peru, July 21-23.

Both sprinters have already met at the last two global championships for their age group. Hill prevailed in both. After becoming the first woman aged under18 years to break the 11-second barrier in 100m in 2015. A month later, she claimed the world U18 title in Cali, Colombia, where St. Fort claimed silver.

In 2016, she added the 100m gold at the World U20 Championships Bydgoszcz, Poland, where she also anchored the USA team to the 4x100m crown, as she did in Cali. St. Fort joined her on the podium with the 100m bronze.

St. Fort, coached by 1997 world 200m champion and four-time Olympic medallist Ato Boldon, has grown as an athlete as part of her country’s senior relay team, claiming the 2015 World Championships bronze and finishing fifth at the 2016 Olympic Games. Earlier this season, the defending Pan Am U20 champion she set a new Centro American and Caribbean U20 record with 11.06, the fastest in the world for a U20 athlete in 2017.

Hill is the second fastest with 11.23, clocked during his winning weekend at the USA U20 Championships.
Ecuador’s Maribel Caicedo, the 2015 World U18 100m hurdles champion, will try to improve her silver medal performance from Edmonton two years ago.

Since its inception in Sudbury, Canada, in 1980, the Pan American U20 Championships has witnessed the start of emerging track and field stars in the region. More than 20 continental champions in this category have gone on to reach the Olympic glory. The list includes USA’s Carl Lewis and Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, Colombia’s Caterine Ibarguen, Brazil’s Thiago Braz and Cuba’s Javier Sotomayor and Iván Pedroso.

Here is the list of 12 global medallists from the 2015 World U18 and/or the 2016 World U20 Championships set to compete next weekend at the Pan Am U20 Championships in Trujillo, Peru.

1. Candace Hill (USA) 100m
2016 World U20 and 2015 World U18 champion
World U18 100m record holder (10.98)

2. Khalifa ST Fort (TRI) 100m
2016 World U20 bronze medallist
2015 World U18 silver medallist
2016 Olympic 4x100m Relay bronze medallist
2015 World 4x100m Relay bronze medallist

3. Tia Jones (USA) 100m Hurdles
2016 World U20 4x100m champion
2016 World U20 bronze medallist

4. Tara Davis 18 United States 100m Hurdles and long jump
2015 World U18 Long champion

5. Maribel Caicedo (ECU) 100m hurdles
2015 World U18 champion

6. Brandee Johnson (USA) 400m Hurdles
2015 World U18 bronze medallist

7. Xahria Santiago (CAN) 400m Hurdles
2016 World U bronze medallist

8. Alyssa Wilson (USA) Shot Put
2016 World U20 Bronze medallist

9. Christopher Taylor (JAM) 200m
2015 World U18 400m champion
2016 World U20 4x400m Relay bronze medallist

10. Joseph Daniels (CAN) 110m hurdles
2015 World U18 bronze medallist

11. Adrian Piperi (USA) Shot Put
2015 World U18 champion

12. Jhonathan Javier Amores (ECU) 10000m walk
2016 World U20 silver medallist

13. Adriana Rodriguez (CUB), Heptathlon
2016 World U20 silver medallist

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Anthony Foster is a renowned Jamaican sports journalist, honored twice as the Jamaica sports journalist of the year (in 2004 and 2005). His journalistic achievements are globally recognized. Notably, he authored an award-winning article on Usain Bolt, the iconic 6-time Olympic champion, 11-time World champion, and record holder for the sprint double. This significant piece was published in the Jamaica Gleaner in 2004. Anthony's extensive coverage includes prestigious events such as the Olympic Games in Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016. He has also provided coverage for seven (7) World Athletics Championships held between 2007 and 2022, alongside various other international sporting events. Noteworthy mentions comprise his coverage of the 2007 World Cup of cricket and his cherished experience reporting on the 2004 clash between his favorite football team, Argentina, and the USA.

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