Golden Girl Kaylin Whitney Strikes Again: Pan Am 200m Champion, UF's Jefferson Silver

Kaylin Whitney is only 17 years old and on the fast track to becoming one of the top stars in United States sprinting. Whitney, who just missed making Team USA for the World Championships, secured her spot on the Pan Am team with her fourth place World Youth best of 22.47. Four weeks later and coming off anchoring Team USA to a world leading 4x100m time in Monaco, the former East Ridge star won gold in the 200m in Toronto, clocking a time of 22.65. She was also the anchor leg on Team USA's 4x100m relay that won their semifinal and advanced to the final round. Whitney, announced earlier in the year on her 17th birthday, that she would forego her senior year of high school competition and sign with Nike. She had this to say after the race.

On the race overall:

“The starter held us for a long time in the set position. I didn’t really know why, but I knew I had to keep calm in the block because I knew I didn’t want to get a false start. After that, I came off the curve and just tried to relat and bring it home.”

On what it feels like to win a Pan American Games medal:

“It’s awesome. Like I said for it being my first time here, being able to walk away with a gold medal is truly amazing.”

On what it means to be a part of Team USA:

“Last year I competed for the World Youth Team in Eugene, (Oregon). This is awesome being my first senior international team.”

On whether it feels different to win a medal at the senior level:

“I think so. This being my first time on the pro side, it definitely gives me a confidence boost.”


Gator Kyra Jefferson Earns Silver

The United States went 1-2 in the race with University of Florida's Kyra Jefferson finishing as the silver medalist. Jefferson said it was a great feeling to represent the USA in an international race.

"This is my first senior team, and it’s just great to medal my first time. It just feels so special to have everybody cheering for you and everybody congratulating you. Just to know that all the hard practices and stuff paid off.”

On the race overall:

“I was talking to a lot of the coaches, and everybody was telling me that all of my prelim and semifinal rounds I wasn’t getting out. Considering I had lane 7, I knew I had people I could run with Kaylin (Whitney) and Simone (Facey of Jamaica) behind me. I knew I had to get out, so I made sure I was the first one and then I just tried to bring it home. I saw Kaylin in my peripheral view, so I thought, ‘Okay, as long as we get this 1-2.’”

On how she felt going into the race:

“I was a little nervous, considering that I had a very long season with the collegiate season going, and just to come out and place was good enough for me. The time, it wasn’t the best time ever for me, but it’s okay.”

On what it means to represent Team USA:

“I have USA on my chest. It’s the best feeling ever! If anyone ever sees me on camera, they can see me saying, ‘You can do this. You can do this.’ What the coaches from USC told me: ‘You have the beast in you. You don’t have to find it, it’s already in you,’ so I just kept repeating what she said during my race.”

Earlier in the day Central Florida resident and Olympian David Oliver also added to the red, white, and blue medal count by picking up gold in the 110mH in a new Pan American Games Record of 13.07s.


Wednesday Update: Wimbley Secures Silver, Clement Comes Up Short Of Medal

On Wednesday, University of Miami quarter-miler Shakima Wimbley finished second behind teammate Kendall Baisden in 51.36. The 1-2 finish was the first sweep in the event for Team USA and the second time ever the US has won gold in that event.

Former UF hurdler Kerron Clement, just missed out on a medal finishing fourth in the 400mH by two-thousandths of a second in 48.72.

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