St. Croix’s Michelle Smith shattered her own U.S. Virgin Islands age-group record on Wednesday in advancing to the finals in the women’s 400-meter hurdles at the World Athletics’ 2022 World Under-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia.
The 16-year-old Smith, a rising junior at Monteverde (Fla.) Academy, finished second in her semifinal race in 57.83 seconds, besting the record of 58.11 seconds she set in late June during the U.S. Virgin Islands Outdoor Championships on St. Croix.
Smith’s time would also make her the second high school hurdler to break the 58-second barrier this season in the 400-meter hurdles. According to national track and field website Athletic.net, the top time is held by Akala Garrett of Purpose Driven N.C. Elite Track Club, who won the first semifinal race in 57.28 seconds.
South Africa’s Anje Nel won Smith’s semifinal race – the second of three held in that event – in a season-best 57.76 seconds. The other semifinal winner was Sweden’s Hanna Karlsson in 57.34 seconds.
The top two finishers in each of the semifinal races, as well as the next two fastest runners, advanced to the finals, scheduled for 7:10 p.m. today USVI time.
In results from other Virgin Islands athletes at the World U-20 Championships:
X British Virgin Islands sprinter Wanyae Belle finished 30th out of 51 entries in the men’s 200-meter dash after Wednesday’s heat races.
The 18-year-old Belle finished fifth out of seven runners in the second of seven heat races in a personal-best 21.30 seconds. That was far behind heat winner Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, the defending World U-20 champion in the event, who ran a meet record 19.99 seconds.
The top three finishers in each of the seven heat races, as well as the next three fastest runners, advance to the semifinals, which were held later Wednesday. From there, the top two finishers in each of the three semifinal races, as well as the next two fastest runners, move on to the finals at 7 p.m. today.
Belle has already competed in the men’s 100-meter dash, finishing 43rd out of 63 entries after Monday’s heat races.
X British Virgin Islands sprinter Akrisa Eristee will compete in her final event today, running her heat race in the women’s 200-meter dash.
The 19-year-old Eristee will run in the fourth of six scheduled heat races, starting in lane No. 5 in the 1:11 p.m. race. The top three finishers from each heat race, as well as the next six fastest runners, advance to the semifinals later today.
Eristee has already competed in the women’s 400-meter dash, finishing 27th out of 33 runners after Tuesday’s heat races.
