June 22, 2006

INDIANAPOLIS - Freshman Murielle Ahoure finished third in Thursday's first-round heat of the 100-meter dash at the Finish Line USA Junior Track and Field Championships at the IU Michael A. Carroll Track and Soccer Stadium on the campus of IUPUI in downtown Indianapolis.

Her time of 11.60 seconds placed Ahoure third in her heat behind Kenyanna Wilson (Arizona Rising Suns Track Club) and Shayla Mahan (Motor City Track Club, Inc.). Wilson crossed the finish line in 11.45 seconds to win the heat, while Mahan finished second with a time of 11.53 seconds.

Out of the 29 total participants in the event, eight of those athletes - the winner in each of the four heats, plus the next four best times - advanced to the final round of the event, which is scheduled for 1:50 p.m. on Thursday. Ahoure's time didn't qualify her for the final round of the 100-meter dash; however, she is scheduled to compete in the first round of the 200-meter dash on Friday at 10:50 a.m.

Thirty six athletes will run in the first round of the 200-meter dash, with the top eight times overall advancing to the final, scheduled for 1:55 p.m. on Friday. Ahoure is slated to run in the fourth heat with Porscha Lucas (Dallas Gold Track Club), Patrice Potts (Virginia Tech), Marion Tyson (Quicksilver Track Club, Inc.), Kara Budd (University of Connecticut), Yasmin Woodruff (Quiet Fire) and Lakeshia Williams (Club Elite of Birmingham). Ahoure has the top time in her heat with a personal best of 23.33 seconds.

The Junior Track and Field Championships feature more than 600 athletes ranging from 14 to 19 years old competing for the chance to represent the United States at the 2006 World Junior Championships in Beijing, China. The meet is being held in conjunction with the 2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the final stop of USATF's 2006 Visa Championships Series. Full results from the Junior Track and Field Championships can be found on the official Web site of USA Track and Field at http://www.usatf.org.