Last week at the 2026 USATF U20 Championships, California's top high school athletes delivered standout performances, earning their spots at the World Athletics U20 Championships this August.
Jaslene Massey led all performers with a discus-and-shot put sweep, which you can read more about HERE. She wasn't the only champion and World U20 qualifier from California to place an exclamation point on a phenomenal season.
Chiara Dailey may have found her calling in longer distances after winning the USATF U20 Championships 3000m in 9:52.25. This victory follows her wins at the CIF State 3200m title and the Brooks PR Invitational 3200m over the past month. Dailey will represent Team USA in the 3000m at the World Athletics U20 Championships this August before heading to Stanford this fall.
-- Chirara Dailey at the CIF State Track & Field Championships | Photo by Raymond Tran --
Clara Adams strengthened her high school resume at the USATF U20 Championships with a runner-up finish, qualifying for the World U20s. She ran a personal record of 51.61, moving up to California #4 all-time in the 400m, behind only the legendary Howard sisters and Monique Henderson.
California High School Girls All-Time 400m List
1. Monique Henderson (2000) - 50.69
2. Denean Howard (1982) - 50.87
3. Sherri Howard (1979) - 51.09
4. Clara Adams (2026) - 51.61
5. Mable Ferguson (1972) - 51.91
Adams is in amazing company as she wraps up her junior track season at the World Athletics U20 Championships.
Cy Lugo also qualified as an alternate for the World U20 Championships at Hayward Field after finishing third in the Men's 200m. In the U20 final, he ran a wind-legal personal record of 20.33, beating his previous best of 20.40, set the day before in the prelims. This impressive time ranks Lugo as the second-fastest Californian ever in the 200m, behind only Michael Norman's state record of 20.14.
Other standout Californian performers included Jaelen Hunter, who ran a personal record of 45.76 in the 400m as a sophomore. Braelyn Combe also finished third in the Women's 1500m, qualifying as an alternate with a time of 4:18.14.
Ultimately, the USATF U20 Championships further demonstrated how talented this season's California athletes were across a variety of events, with some set to compete at the World Athletics U20 Championships from August 5-9.
Last week at the 2026 USATF U20 Championships, California's top high school athletes delivered standout performances, earning their spots at the World Athletics U20 Championships this August.
Jaslene Massey led all performers with a discus-and-shot put sweep, which you can read more about HERE. She wasn't the only champion and World U20 qualifier from California to place an exclamation point on a phenomenal season.
Chiara Dailey may have found her calling in longer distances after winning the USATF U20 Championships 3000m in 9:52.25. This victory follows her wins at the CIF State 3200m title and the Brooks PR Invitational 3200m over the past month. Dailey will represent Team USA in the 3000m at the World Athletics U20 Championships this August before heading to Stanford this fall.
