BYDGOSZCZ, Poland – Kendra Schaaf of Craven, Sask., finished seventh on Tuesday in the women’s 5,000-metre final to open the world junior track and field championships.
Sule Utura led Ethiopia to a 1-2 finish clocking 16 minutes and 15.59 seconds. Genzebe Dibaba was second in 16:16.75 and Nelly Chebet of Kenya was third in 16:17.96.
Schaaf, competing at her second international competition in her career, achieved her goal with a top-eight finish clocking at 16:37.79. She qualified for the world juniors last month at the Victoria International Classic.
"I’m not a 100 percent satisfied with my race," said Schaaf, 18, who made her international debut in March finishing 20th at a World Cup in Scotland. "It was a very strategical race and it got off to a slow start. I was pretty hesitant. I pushed the pace early on but with three laps to go the Ethiopians just went so fast."
Canadians advancing to semifinals were Natalie Geiger of Stouffville, Ont., and Alyssa Johnson of Winnipeg in the women’s 400, Tyler Daniel Harper of Brampton in the men’s 400, Olivier Collin of St-Lazare, Que., in the men’s 800 and Jessica Parry of London, Ont., in the women’s 800. All those semis are set for Wednesday.
In the men’s 100 metres, Tyrone Halstead of Mississauga, Ont., was eliminated in the semifinal finishing third in his heat. Earlier Tuesday in the preliminaries he won his heat with a 10.60 clocking. Phillip Hayle of Brampton, Ont., was eliminated in the prelims.
Full results at IAAF.org.
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