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By Jeff Eisenberg

DAILY BRUIN STAFF WRITER

jeisenberg@media.ucla.edu

  NICOLE MILLER/Daily Bruin

Monique Henderson will represent the United States at the World Junior Championships in July.

When the world’s best young track and field stars convene in Jamaica later this summer, a trio of UCLA sophomores will be in the middle of the hubbub.

Monique Henderson, Briona Reynolds and Jeremy Silverman will represent the United States at the World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica July 16-21. Each finished second last weekend at the U.S. Junior Championships in Palo Alto, Calif. – Henderson in the 400-meter run, Reynolds in the women’s shot put and Silverman in the men’s shot put.

After running the fastest qualifying time at the meet, Henderson finished the 400m finals in 51.52 seconds. High school sensation Sanya Richards won the event in a record-breaking 50.69 seconds, a mark 0.05 seconds faster than Henderson’s time in 2000 when she set the previous junior national record.

“I knew it was going to be a tough race, because I knew of Monique’s (Henderson) capabilities,” said Richards, who will be attending the University of Texas in the fall. “I’ve been working hard for it, and I knew I could do it if I just stayed focused and ran a good race.”

Reynolds tied a personal best in the shot put with a heave of 54 feet 2 inches. The All-American finished third in the discus as well with a 164-11 mark.

After redshirting last season, Silverman gave the team a glimpse of his potential with his finish in the shot put. His mark of 63 feet 5 inches was less than two inches better than fellow Bruin Jake Knight, who finished fourth.

In all, 18 current and former Bruins competed last weekend in either the junior or senior national championships including the likes of former Olympic champion Gail Devers and five-time NCAA champion John Godina.

A three-time world champion in the 100-meter hurdles, Devers won a U.S. title in the event for the eighth time in her illustrious career in a world-best time of 12.51 seconds.

“At 35 (years old) I’m stronger than ever,” the UCLA alumna said in a statement. “I want to run faster than I ever have before and learn my event even more so. Then I can control my event, rather than have the hurdles control me.”

Godina also had a strong meet, placing second in both the shot put and the discus. Although he was disappointed not to win either event, the UCLA legend was satisfied with his mark in the shot put.

“If I have to lose, I would like it to be with a mark of 71-10,” Godina said in a statement. “It used to be that 70 or 71 feet would win with 69 feet good for second place. Now, 72 or 73 feet will win. These guys have done their job. Now it’s my job to pass them up.”

Godina, Devers and fellow Bruin alumni Mebrahtom Keflezighi and Shelia Burrell will represent the United States at the IAAF World Cup Sept. 20-21 in Madrid. Keflezighi won the 10,000 meters while Burrell was victorious in the heptathlon.

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