July 16, 2010
MONCTON, Canada - Rising sophomores Casimir Loxsom (New Haven, Conn.) and Evonne Britton (El Paso, Texas) will get a chance to showcase their talents on the world's stage next week, as the Nittany Lion duo is set to compete at the IAAF World Junior Championships, which are slated to begin on Monday, July 19, and run through Sunday, July 25. Loxsom and Britton, who both recently completed their freshman campaigns, will represented the United States during the competition, while incoming Nittany Lion recruit Kirsten Nieuwendam (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) is set to compete for Suriname.
Loxsom recorded one of the most impressive rookie campaigns across the NCAA this year, qualifying for both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships in the 800-meter run. Recently, Loxsom punched his ticket to Moncton with a winning effort at the USATF Junior Championships, where he clocked 1:47.45 to outlast an outstanding field, including NCAA Indoor Champion Robby Andrews of Virginia. Loxsom and Andrews will both represent the U.S. in Moncton, with the duo entering the competition with the top two entry marks among world juniors, with Andrews coming in at 1:45.54, and Loxsom at 1:46.74.
Loxsom has been a presence on the world-junior scene all year long, as the New Haven, Conn., native clocked a world-junior record 1:16.92 for 600-meters during the indoor season. Loxsom's 2010 campaign also included a Big Ten victory in the 800 at the outdoor conference championships, where he also garnered Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. The opening round of the 800 is set for Friday, July 23.
Britton will compete in the 100- and 400-meter hurdles, after capturing top honors in the 400 hurdles and silver-medal standing in the 100 hurdles at the USATF Junior Championships. Britton caught fire in the latter half of the outdoor campaign, qualifying for the NCAA First Round in both hurdling events, and moving on to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 400 hurdles, where she placed 23rd overall. Britton owns impressive personal bests of 13.37 in the 100 hurdles, and 57.61 in the 400 hurdles, which both rank fourth in the Penn State record books. At the conference level, Britton was a key piece of the Lions' Big Ten team title effort, posting scoring finishes in both hurdling events.
Britton's performance is the 400 hurdles in currently rated fourth among world juniors, while are 100 hurdle mark is ranked fifth. The preliminary heats of the 100 hurdles are set for Tuesday, July 20, while sections of the 400 hurdles are scheduled for Thursday, July 22.
Nieuwendam, who recently finished her high school career at St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., will represent her native Surinam and will compete in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. The incoming freshman recently capped an outstanding senior campaign, placing third in the 200 at the FHSAA 4A State Finals. The future Nittany Lion boasts impressive PRs of 11.78 in the 100, and 23.83 for the 200. The rounds of the 100 are set for July 20, with the 200 slated to start on July 22.
For updates and recaps from all the action from Moncton, log on to www.GoPSUsports.com.