She had been expecting the news.

Still, Jordan Hasay was relieved when the notification came that she was on the United States Youth team that will compete in the World Juniors Track and Field Meet July 11-15 in Ostrava, Czech Republic. U.S. assistant coach Tish Hanna e-mailed Hasay with the news Thursday and then made a confirming phone call to the Hasay family that evening.

“I kind of was expecting,” to be chosen, Hasay said in a phone interview Thursday night. “Still, it was really cool to get it officially.”

At press time, Hasay was the only U.S. candidate who had met the 3,000 qualifying standard of 9:40. She was well under, at 9:26.32 at the Stanford Invitational last year. She would have scored points with that time at the 2005 meet.

Hasay has run just one 3,000 since. She won that race at the U.S. Junior Nationals at Indianapolis last summer. Hasay, running in a temperature that was 120 on the track, won in a time well off her best.

She was at 9:26.9 at the 3,000 mark en route to a winning 10:07.65 full two mile at the Arcadia Invitational last month. Her 10:04.07 3,200 this year is a sophomore girls national record and the leading national girls prep mark this season.

Hasay was a leading U.S. candidate for the 1,500 at press time, but “The e-mail just said (I've been accepted in) the 3,000,” she said.

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Hasay didn't seem at all disappointed that she apparently won't be running the 1,500 at Ostrava. “It's my first international meet. I'm really excited.”

Besides, “The 3,000-3,200 has really become my race the last year or two.”

She qualified for the World Junior Cross Country Championships in Kenya last winter by winning the six kilometer U.S. Junior Nationals in Boulder, Colo. Hasay, despite some reservations, was originally set to go, but a terrorist threat hanging over the meet caused her to pull out.

She wasn't the only potential U.S. runner to do so. Three others did as well so the United States, down to two potential team members, didn't send a squad.

Now she will get to run overseas. “I'm just going to do my best. It's going to be just really fun, not any pressure.”

For a change. The runner tagged by some as the potential next Mary Decker usually goes into a race under PLENTY of pressure, in terms of fan and media expectations.

She'll try to defend \time 1,500/1,600/mile race for awhile.

Hasay said Thursday night that she has chosen the 5,000 over the 1,500 as the distance she'll try to qualify for the 2008 United States Olympic Trials in. There is no women's 3,000 at the Olympics anymore.

Hasay chose to move up in distance from her main race and try to start cutting time in the longer race rather than try for the Trials in the more familiar 1,500..

She said she plans to run the 5,000 at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis that takes place June 20-24. Her initiation into the 5,000 on the track will come then.

“I'm hoping to run in the women's race,” she said.

Hasay said that, unlike last year, there will be no Nike Outdoor Nationals this time.

“That's a little too much traveling,” said the 15-year-old. Last summer, Hasay ran in the Golden West meet and then, in short order and daunting heat, competed in the Nike Outdoor Nationals and then U.S. Junior Nationals.

She has done quite well at the 5,000 in cross country. In fact, she is the 2005 Foot Locker girls national champion and two-time defending girls state Division V champ.

Not only will the Indy race give her 5,000 track experience, “It'll help me get used to the heat that'll be there in the Ostrava race,” said Hasay. Heat is the racing condition the teen has acknowledged she dislikes most.

Her coaches at Mission Prep are already prepping her for hotter temperatures. “They're having us run in extra t-shirts during workouts,” Hasay said with a chuckle.

May 19, 2007