George Walton Comprehensive junior becomes first American U-20 female athlete to medal in the same event twice, captures the sixth 100 hurdles title in meet history for U.S., with Cortney Jones securing bronze

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

In Tia, they trust.

Facing their last legitimate opportunity to secure an individual gold medal Sunday at the IAAF World U-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, the Americans put their faith in 17-year-old Tia Jones in the women’s 100-meter hurdles final and the George Walton Comprehensive GA junior didn’t disappoint.

Although Jones and Jamaica’s Britany Anderson were credited with the same time to the hundredths (13.01) and thousandths of a second (13.002), the national high school record holder earned the tiebreaker based on the 10-thousandths in the narrowest margin of victory in meet history to secure the title at Ratina Stadium.

Cortney Jones of Florida State, no relation, overcame a hamstring injury late in the race to hold on for the bronze medal for the U.S. in 13.19.

“You have to have the mindset that you’re the best out there, you just have to have that strong mentality. I just crossed the finish line and did what I had to do and laid it all out on the track,” Tia Jones said. “I wish I would have run a better time, but you know, everything is for experience and I’m here to get all the experience I can get.”

Perhaps the edge Sunday for Tia Jones was experience.

Despite her age, Tia Jones was making a second appearance at the World U-20 Championships, having captured bronze in 2016 in Poland.

She became the fourth female athlete in meet history to earn two medals in the 100 hurdles, joining Cuba’s Aliuska Lopez, Jamaica’s Gillian Russell and Sweden’s Susanna Kallur.

“It’s an honor. I feel like I have worked hard to get to this point,” Tia Jones said. “I’m very proud of myself with all my accomplishments in the past years. Every year gets better because I work on what I do consistently for meets like this.”

Tia Jones also became the only American female in World U-20 history to medal in the same event twice. Conor McCullough is the only other U.S. athlete to achieve the feat at the U-20 level, taking silver in the men’s hammer throw in 2008 and gold in 2010.

It nearly didn’t happen, with Anderson surging over the final two hurdles and leaning at the line as Tia Jones began to raise her arms in celebration. But fortunately for the Americans, they were able to avoid being shut out of an individual gold medal for the first time since 2000.

“The key to my calmness is concentration,” Tia Jones said. “I just thank God I was able to bring the gold home for USA.”

Tia Jones became the sixth U.S. female athlete to win the World U-20 gold in the 100 hurdles, but it marked only the second time in meet history the Americans produced two medalists, joining Kendell Williams and Dior Hall sweeping the top two spots in 2014.

“I was still disappointed because of course I wanted the gold or even silver, but I’m blessed to make third. It’s my first World team ever, so I’m blessed to place top three,” Cortney Jones said. “I just got to hurdle eight or hurdle seven and felt my hamstring go pop, so the main thing was just try to place top three because I really wasn’t worried about the time because after I felt that, I was just trying to medal.”

Tia Jones applauded her teammate’s courage and tenacity.

“She’s had some hamstring issues, but I knew she was a strong girl and that she’d get through it,” Tia Jones said. “I have a nice relationship with her, so to do that alongside her was memorable.”

With U.S. Junior national and World U-20 titles to her credit, Tia Jones has one major goal remaining in the coming years: to eclipse the 2015 World U-20 record of 12.74 set by Hall.

“I’m definitely waiting on that one perfect race, that smooth race. Today wasn’t really a smooth race, but I’ll take it. I’m very proud to be out here supporting Team USA and (having captured bronze two years ago) it does feel great,” Tia Jones said. “I do everything for my team and I love my country.”