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Mary Cain wins 3,000 at world juniors

By WTOP Staff

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Mary Cain sprinted the last 120 meters and pulled away from the field to win the 3,000 meters at the IAAF world junior championships on Thursday night at Hayward Field.

Cain is the first U.S. woman to win a junior world title at a distance longer than 800 meters. Boxed in at the start of the final lap, she wrestled her way to the front to win in a personal-best 8 minutes, 58.48 seconds.

Lilian Kasait Rengeruk of Kenya finished second.

“I felt really good for the last lap,” Cain said. “There was a lot of jostling. I know I’m supposed to keep running, but I kept saying, ‘I’m sorry!'”

The 18-year-old from New York won the event at the U.S. junior championships in 9:15.81 this month at Hayward Field, putting her in the field for the worlds.

Carrying an American flag on her victory lap, Cain made a point to high-five many lining the track and even posed for a few selfies.

Cain made the final in the 1,500 at the senior world outdoor championships in Moscow last year, at 17 becoming the youngest woman to run the event.

Cain, who just wrapped up her senior year in high school, eschewed a college track career to join the Nike Oregon Project, training under decorated U.S. marathoner Alberto Salazar.

“I had a really good kick. I could hear Alberto in my head screaming that I have to move now!” she said.

In other final events Thursday, Wilhem Belocian of France set world junior record in the 110 hurdles, winning in 12.99 to best his own record of 13.15 set this month.

Afterward, Belocian wrapped himself in the French flag before collapsing on the infield in joy. Jamaican Tyler Mason was second in 13.06.

“Being the first junior to run under 13 seconds, this is incredible, I still can’t believe it,” he said. “The final was great, I’m a competitive person, so I like to have strong rivals, to test myself.”

Kenyan Jonathan Sawe won the 1,500 in 3:40.02; Machel Cedenio of Trinidad and Tobago took the 400 by a wide margin in 45.13; and Margaret Nyairera Wambui of Kenya won the women’s 800 in a personal-best 2:00.49.

Earlier in the 200 heats, Thomas Somers of Britain advanced to the final in 20.37, a British junior record.

“It felt great! My time shows how my training has been going. Winning the semifinal and now being a medal contender gives me a lot of confidence coming into the final,” he said.

It is the first time the junior world meet has been held in the United States. Nearly 1,600 athletes from 170 countries are taking part in the event that runs through Sunday. Most finals are set for this weekend.

Sanctioned by the sport’s international governing body, the junior worlds include athletes born between 1995 and 1998.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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