Kendell Williams of the USA and University of Georgia would have been in contention to win gold in both the 100 hurdles and Heptathlon if not for the long collegiate track season.  She set a Pentathlon World Record Indoors to take the NCAA indoor title and set an American Junior Record early in the outdoor season.  Focusing on just the 100 hurdles for this meet and it seems that limiting her focus has helped her set a US Junior record and #2 all-time junior mark at the US junior championships.  She was 3rd at the World Youth meet in this event in 2011. 

Dior Hall tried to challenge Williams but couldn't stay with the more powerful Williams.  She set a US high school record to finish second at the US junior meet in 13.00. She has international experience also with her DQ in the final of the 2012 World Junior Meet and she was second at the World Youth Meet last year.  Yanique Thompson of Jamaica is 23rd on the world junior list this year (13.55) but won the World Youth Meet last year in 12.94.  She had only run 13.23 going into the meet last year.  Yasmin Miller of Great Britain (13.34) and Sarah Missinne of Belgium (13.39) are also within striking distance to get an upset  

IAAF Preview

Junior Women’s 100 Hurdles (top 10 Performances, top 10 Performers)

WJR  Aliuska Lopez Esp 12.84 1987

WJ MR Aliuska Lopez Esp 12.96 1988

Rank   Mark   Wind        Competitor          Nat         DOB     

 *1     12.87  +2.0       Kendell Williams    USA     14 Jun 1995

         12.99  +1.8       Williams

 *2     13.00  +2.0       Dior Hall              USA      2 Jan 1996

         13.09A+1.6       Hall                     

         13.17 +1.6       Hall

  3     13.23  +1.8       Sasha Wallace       USA      21 Sep 1995

         13.24  +0.4      Wallace

         13.32 +1.0       Williams

         13.32 +0.4       Williams

         13.32 +0.9       Hall

         (10 Performances by 3 athletes)

  4     13.33  +0.5      Alexis Duncan        USA     16 Aug 1998

  5     13.34  +0.5      Sydney McLaughlin  USA      7 Aug 1999

 *5     13.34  +0.5     Yasmin Miller          GBr     24 May 1995

  7     13.35  +0.9     Akela Jones            Bar     22 Apr 1995

  8     13.37  +0.9     Jasmine Quinn        USA     21 Aug 1996

  9     13.38A +1.6     Ashley Miller          USA     17 Feb 1998

*10    13.39  +1.7     Sarah Missine         Bel       16 May 1995

* Competing

2012 World Junior   -2.4 m/s

1 Morgan Snow USA 13.38

2 Noemi Zbaren Swi 13.42

3 Ekaterina Bleskina Russia 13.43