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SAN FRANCISCO — Two USF freshmen will extend their spring track seasons by competing at the 2011 USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships from June 23-26 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
Gustavo Meno will race in the 1500m semi-finals, while Adam Smith will run in the 3,000m steeplechase finals. This is the first time both will be racing at the junior nationals. To run in the meet, athletes were not allowed to have turned 19 before Dec. 31st, 2010.
The top two finishers in each event qualify for the Pan-American Junior Athletics Championships in Florida in late July.
"USA Juniors provides a wonderful opportunity for the best high school and college freshmen to compete in an elite championship meet," USF coach Helen Lehman-Winters said. "It is wonderful to have both Gus and Adam representing San Francisco at the USA Junior National Championships. Both of these guys have been training solo since their collegiate seasons ended in mid-May."
Mena is set to race in the semi-finals of his event at 10:45 a.m. on Friday, June 24. The top fourfinishers in each of the two heats, along with the next four fastest times, will advance to the finals at 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, June 25. Mena's qualifying time of 3:51.07, which he ran two weeks ago at the Jim Bush Invitational, is the seventh fastest time in the field.
Smith's race takes place at 5:25 p.m. on Saturday, June 25. His personal best time of 9:20.06 came in April at the Brutus Hamilton Open and is the 11th fastest time in the field.
The meet will take place within the (senior) USA Track & Field National Championship, which will be televised. ESPN2 begins it coverage at 8 p.m. (PST) on Friday and NBC's coverage begins at 2 p.m. (PST) on Saturday.
