MONCTON, CANADA -- It was a morning of easy qualifying and nervous waits for Team USA on the third day of the 13th IAAF World Junior Championships, with athletes in the men's shot put blasting automatic advancement marks while runners in the women's 400 and 800 squeaked through as time qualifiers for the final.

New Jersey high schooler Nick Vena quickly left the field after popping a 19.90-meter throw on his first attempt with the six-kilogram shot, and Texas freshman Hayden Baillio soon followed after a 19.40 in the second round.

In the women's 400 semifinals, Regina George of Arkansas was fourth in the first heat at 53.59, and she had to wait until the last of three sections to learn she had advanced as the last time qualifier. In heat three, Stacey-Ann Smith of Texas finished second behind her Longhorn teammate, Chantel Malone of the Virgin Islands, to claim an automatic berth with a 53.44 clocking.

"I just wanted to get through to the final by being in the top two," Smith said. "When I was a little behind on the last curve I knew I had to drive it home. It has been a long season, but I love representing the USA and I want to be on the medal stand."

George said, "This seemed like a very long race. I am disappointed with my time, but you learn from your races. I was telling myself down the straight to work my arms and get this race over with."

The first round of the men's 400 hurdles saw Texas high school sprint champion Sheroid Evans move on as an automatic qualifier, placing third in the final heat in 53.44. "All I wanted to do was get through to the next round," Evans said. "There was no use wasting gas trying to run fast. I feel fine and I will pick it up a little in the semifinals. Then, I want to run 49 in the final. Today I was completely under control."

Steven White of North Texas ran faster than Evans with a 53.27 in heat one, but did not advance as he finished fourth in his section and was not a time qualifier. "I am not too happy about my effort," White said. "My nerves kind of threw me off and caught me by surprise. I was trying to power off the final curve and finish hard, but that last hurdle came up on me and I didn't hit it right."

Contrasting racing styles produced almost identical results in the semis of the women's 800. North Dakota prep Laura Roesler ran near the middle of the pack in heat one, coming through 400 in 60.3 in sixth, and then moving up to fourth at 600 in 1:31.2. Roesler, a many-time state sprint champion, was unable to make up ground on the run in, but still notched a season-best 2:04.34 in fourth. The next heat saw New Jersey prep sensation Ajee Wilson make the running, taking the field through 200 in 28.77, 400 in 60.98 and 600 in 1:32.59. Wilson's last 100 was a battle with Ekaterina Zavyalova of Russia, who nipped the American at the line in 2:04.33, the same time Wilson was credited with. That time knocked Roesler out of the final, but Wilson still had to wait on pins and needles for the final heat to see if she would advance as a time qualifier.

"I wanted to get out and not get boxed in," Wilson said. "It felt good at the front so I just kept going. I looked up at the screen and saw I was second, and my coach always tells me to run through the line, but I didn't this time."

Roesler said, "I followed my race plan, but yesterday took a little out of me. I didn't have that extra energy I usually have at the end. My time was my best of the year, but the competition at this level is very tough. I am totally happy and I know this is where I should be."

The morning's other field event qualifying round saw Kansas freshman Andrea Geubelle advance to the final with a 13.02 triple jump effort on her first attempt.

For more information on the IAAF World Junior Championships, visit www.usatf.org.