USA's Candace Hill in action in the 100m (© Kirby Lee)
In the history of the World Youth Championships, only one female athlete, Great Britain’s Jodie Williams, has managed to complete the sprint double but with the USA’s Candace Hill slated to compete in both events in Cali, there’s every chance she’ll accomplish that by the end of the week.
Hill is better known as a 100m runner, but the 16-year-old is also third on the world girls’ list over 200m, with a personal best of 23.05 and has a wind-aided 22.76 to her credit.
Given her improvement in the shorter sprint in recent months, at which she has lowered her personal best to 10.98, it will come as no surprise if the US sprinter goes well below 23 seconds in Cali, and perhaps takes the 200m gold.
But her task looks harder than in the 100m.
The fastest entrant is actually Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser, who has run 23.03 this year, but Naser is also slated to compete over 400m in Cali.
It will come as a major surprise if neither Hill nor Naser take the gold but if there is to be an upset, then Jamaica’s Shaneil English, who has run 23.38 this year, could be the one to cause it.
Brianne Bethel of The Bahamas, Nicola de Bruyn of South Africa and Great Britain’s Hannah Brier also appear to be medal contenders.
Cathal Dennehy for the IAAF
