Latin American athletes aim to shine at the 4th IAAF World Youth Championships in Marrakech, Morocco, July 13-17, an event seen as a springboard for their short and promising careers.

Cuba and Jamaica, winners of 30 of the region's 40 medals in the 6-year history of the event, are expected to continue the good results achieved by their athletes in the previous three editions.

Cuba

Cuba hopes to send 10 athletes to Marrakech and the results of its athletes aged under-18 are very promising.

Héctor Dairon Fuentes is the Island's new Triple Jump hopeful following his 16.23m leap this season.

Fuentes wants to continue the successful path of his countrymen in the previous editions of the World Youth Championships. Six of the 13 medals obtained by Cuba in the last three World Youths have been won by triple jumpers.

Yordanis Durañona, son of the first Cuban man to clear two metres in the High Jump, is close to the 16-metre mark with 15.92m.

The women's Hammer Throw features 16-year-old Ariannys Bichy, who took the implement to 57.62m. Idalmis Rivero is also in good form with a 54.85-metre release.

Yanet Cruz, 17, is also showing great progress in the Javelin Throw. She has already thrown 53.20m and will arrive in Marrakech as a strong candidate for the highest position on the podium.

In the Long Jump, Oslay Vilches hopes to improve his personal best of 7.41m to contend for one of the three medals.

Also in the field, Isabel Gomez shows a personal best of 47.10 metres in the Discus Throw, an event won by her training partner Lisandra Rodriguez two years ago in Canada.

On the track, Aymée Martinez has run 23.6 and 53.1 at 200m and 400m. Yisel Velazco (400m Hurdles-59.5) and Jorge Valcárcel (200m-21.0) are also expected to keep improving in the lead-up to the World Championships.

Osmani Calzado hopes to make the Cuban team for Marrakech after his winning performance (8:53.78) at the 3000m Steeplechase at the National Senior Championships.

Jamaica

Jamaica bases its strength on sprinters while Cuba counts on triple jumpers and throwers, hoping to repeat or improve a successful performance at the previous World Youth Championships in Sherbrooke, Canada.

Schillonie Calvert, 17, leads the Jamaican sprinters with respectable times of 11.44 (11.33w) and 23.44 in the 100m and 200m, respectively.

Calvert anchored her 4x100m relay team to win the silver medal at the 2004 World Junior Championships in Grosseto, Italy.

Her compatriot Kimberly Smith also looks solid with her 11.64 time in the 100m. In the 200m, 16-year old LaToya King posted a convincing 23.68 win at the 2005 Carifta Games in Bacolet, Trinidad and Tobago.

Theon O'Connor also shines in the 800m with his 1:53.72 win at the Carifta Games, as well as Natasha Ruddock in the 100m Hurdles (13.83).

Also at the major annual Caribbean junior event, Antigua and Barbuda's Anika Jno-Baptiste won the 100m in 11.76.

And other nations

Trinidad and Tobago also counts on its female sprinters like Jurnelle Francis (100m-11.88), Marsha Louis (11.90) and Britney St. Louis (200m-23.98, 400m-54.61) and her sister Sade St. Louis (200m-23.83w, 400m-54.68). Top men include Kervin Morgan, who took the Carifta 400m title in 48.15 and Jamaal James in the two-lap race (1:53.29).

Guyana is led by Dax Danns (10.62 in 100m) and Randy Lee (47.71 in 400m).

Grenada features two female sprinters: Alison George and Ann Marie Francis, with respective times of 23.27w and 23.74 over 200m.

Nicaragua's best hopes are in 16-year-old Javelin thrower Jannis Ramírez (51.97) and El Salvador counts on Emerson Hernandez in the 10,000m walk (45:27.21).

Medallists from the 2004 Central American and Caribbean Under-17 Championships should also display a good performance in Marrakech: Saint Kitts and Nevis' Whitley Williams (200m- 21.37w), Barbados' Dario Alleyne (200m-21.53w), Puerto Rico's Luis Lopez (100m-10.78) and Cristian Santiago (400m-48.32), Bahamas' T'Shonda Webb (100m-11.94) and Bermuda's Latroya Darrell (High Jump-1.76).

Mexico's best chances are in 16-year old Karla Dueñas (100m H-13.94) and Diego Alberto Borrego in the 1500m (3:54.49).