University of Richmond Athletics
Young Receives Gold Medal At World Junior Track & Field Championships
08/21/2006 | Women's Track & Field
Aug. 20, 2006
BEIJING, China - University of Richmond sophomore Jessica Young became the track & field program's first World Champion after receiving a gold medal at the IAAF World Junior Championships as a member of Team USA's 4x400-meter relay on Sunday.
Young ran the second leg for Team USA's 4x400 relay team in the first round on Saturday, as the team won the second heat in a time of 3:34.83. That mark was the third fastest going into the finals behind the teams from Nigeria (3:33.00) and Jamaica (3:33.26). Young teamed up with Sa'de Williams, Erin Humphrey and Brandi Cross to qualify for the finals.
Young and Williams were replaced in the finals by Nicole Leach, who won the silver medal in the 400 hurdles, and Jessica Beard, who finished fifth in the open 40. Despite not running in the finals, Young is still considered a World Champion after running the second leg in the qualifying.
"This is absolutely incredible for Jessica," Richmond head coach Lori Taylor said. "Jessica's performance to help the team come from second to first in the qualifying was phenomenal. We're so thrilled for her, she's first World Champion in program history. This is just a fantastic accomplishment for her, she truly represented the University of Richmond and the United Stated to the highest regard."
In the qualifying Saturday the U.S. was in second place when Young took the baton for the second leg, but the Columbia, S.C. native was able to give Team USA the lead for good.
Young returns to the United State on Tuesday. Check back here at RichmondSpiders.com for a look back on Young's trip to the World Junior Championships in Beijing.
