Jacob Burcham, 16, is known as one of the best young distance runners in the Mountain State and in all of America. Now he will have an opportunity to prove he is the top young runner in the world for his age group. The rising junior at Cabell Mid-Land High School is going to compete in the Finals of the 1,500 meters in the IAAF World Youth Championships in track and field on Saturday in Lille, France.
Burcham finished with the ninth-best time (3:51:22) out of the 33-runners that competed in the three heats at the IAAF World Youth Championships.
The Cabell County native advance to the World Youth Championships by winning USATF Youth national title in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This past high school season Burcham won and set records at the WVSSAC State Meet in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200. He also won the 2010 Class AAA state cross country championship.