Highlighted by a world U18 best and an area U20 record, 13 US U20 athletes made it to their nation&rsquo;s biggest stage as they competed at the USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Sixteen-year-old Cooper Lutkenhaus went into the championships with a personal best of 1:45.45 and one goal &ndash; to make it to the 800m final. In the first round, he clocked 1:47.23 for second in his heat behind US short track record-holder Josh Hoey to get automatic qualification into the semifinal.
Lutkenhaus went into the second round with a last-race mentality, knowing that it could very well take the best day of his young career to make it into the final among a deep domestic field. On the heels of Bryce Hoppel &ndash; the US record-holder at the distance &ndash; the Northwest High School (Texas) rising athlete clocked 1:45.57 to become the youngest runner to ever make the US senior 800m final.
Taking the inside lane, Lutkenhaus lined up against a decorated field in Sunday&rsquo;s final with a plan to seize the opportunity and rely on his strong kick.&nbsp;
&ldquo;200 (metres) to go is kind of my sweet spot,&rdquo; said Lutkenhaus of his race strategy. &ldquo;Everyone was in the race with 100 to 200 metres to go and I just gave everything I had left.&rdquo;
Lutkenhaus shot off the final turn and down lane three as he passed Brandon Miller, Hoey and Hoppel to take silver behind the 2019 world champion Donavan Brazier, who won in 1:42.16. A 1:42.27 earned Lutkenhaus a world U18 best and moved him to No.2 on the world U20 all-time list. 
&ldquo;I look up to (Bryce Hoppel and Donavan Brazier) so to actually race those guys has just been fun,&rdquo; said Lutkenhaus. &ldquo;I always think it&rsquo;s cool to see younger guys make a final because I think it makes it more exciting to see a youngster going up against those with a lot more experience.&rdquo;&nbsp;
In the men&rsquo;s 100m, the top three US U20 stars all had a fighting chance at securing a lane in the final. Christian Miller entered with the top time of the trio in 2025 at 10.02, Tate Taylor had a 10.10 to his name, and Maurice Gleaton a 10.11.&nbsp;
All three went through the heats without a hiccup, and Gleaton was the lone qualifier out of the semifinals, clocking 10.05 to secure a lane in Friday&rsquo;s final by time. He lined up for the final in lane nine alongside four Olympians, including two-time Olympic silver medalist Kenny Bednarek.&nbsp;
The 18-year-old out of Langston Hughes High School (Georgia) clocked 9.92 for sixth place, taking down Miller&rsquo;s North American U20 record by a hundredth of a second.
&ldquo;Top three was (my idea of success) going into the race,&rdquo; Gleaton said following the competition. &ldquo;I tried to stay relaxed during the race but I kind of got carried away when I saw everybody in front of me, but I got sixth place at 18, so I feel pretty good about it.&rdquo;
In just over a year, Hayward Field will play host to the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 as up-and-coming athletes from across the world look to find their own Hayward magic.
A full list of results from the USATF Outdoor Championships can be found <a href="https://results.usatf.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
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World Athletics U20 Championships

13 US U20 athletes made it to their nation’s biggest stage as they competed at the USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field

U20 records fall at US Championships 

The 2025 Toyota USATF Outdoor &amp; Para National Championships will be held at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon from 31 July to 3 August as US stars fight for spots for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25. Just over a year later, the facility will play host to the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 from 5-9 August 2026.
A budding group of more than a dozen U20 stars (athletes who will be younger than 20 on 31 December 2025) are among those seeking a bit of Hayward magic at the senior championships.
For the first time since he made history as the youngest US man to qualify for an Olympic team in track and field, 17-year-old <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/quincy-wilson-15025343" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quincy Wilson</a> will return to Hayward Field eyeing a second senior team. The 4x400m Olympic champion is the third fastest US man this year behind Khaleb McRae and Jacory Patterson, having clocked a world U18 best of 44.10 at the Ed Murphey Classic in July. Wilson is tied for No.4 on the 2025 world top list with Great Britain&rsquo;s 400m Olympic silver medalist Matthew Hudson-Smith. His Paris teammates Vernon Norwood, Chris Bailey and Bryce Deadmon will be among the list of top challengers for the Bullis High School rising senior, who also owns the North American U18 best in the 600m at 1:16.20.
The fastest three US U20 men of 2025 are entered in the 100m alongside world and Olympic champions. Fresh into his pro career, <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/christian-miller-15033045" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christian Miller</a> has the top time of the teenage crew at 10.02, which places him third on this season&rsquo;s U20 world top list. Miller, who holds the North American U20 record at 9.83, stands at No.3 on the world U20 all-time list. He will be challenged by US U20 champion <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/tate-taylor-15139751" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tate Taylor</a>, who is set to attempt the 100m and 200m double at the championships. With respective PBs of 10.10 and 20.14, Taylor holds the second-fastest US U20 time in the 100m this year and is the fastest around the curve. The pair will be joined by Nike Outdoor Nationals champion <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/maurice-gleaton-15094520" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Maurice Gleaton</a>, whose PB of 10.11 is No.3 by a US U20 man this year.
Following a stellar freshman season at the University of Southern California, <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/brianna-selby-14913814" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brianna Selby</a> sits atop the season world U20 list in the women&rsquo;s 100m. Her personal best of 11.01 came at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track &amp; Field Championships at Hayward Field earlier this year. With some of the top global senior talent entered, a sub-11 clocking could be on the horizon for the young star.
Also highlighting the women&rsquo;s sprints is recent Bullis High School graduate <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/sydney-sutton-15040409" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sydney Sutton</a>. The lone U20 entrant in the women&rsquo;s 200m is the fourth-fastest teenage athlete this year thanks to her PB of 22.70. Sutton will double down as she takes on the 400m among the likes of world 400m hurdles record-holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and NCAA champion Aaliyah Butler. The high school standout is second U20 in the world in the event with 51.23 behind <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/natalie-dumas-15137056" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Natalie Dumas</a>&rsquo; 51.14. She&rsquo;s joined at the distance by US U20 champion <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/braelyn-baker-14994013" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Braelyn Baker</a>, who holds the fourth-fastest US U20 time of the year at 51.69.
Dumas, a double threat in the 400m and 800m, has instead chosen the two-lap challenge with sights set on a Tokyo team in the 800m. The Eastern High (New Jersey) rising senior clocked 2:00.11 to win the New Balance Nationals which moved her to No.3 on the world U20 list for 2025.
Following a standout senior season at Ventura High School, which included silver in the mile at the New Balance Nationals, <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/sadie-engelhardt-14913128" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sadie Engelhardt </a>has not shied away from high-level competition. The NC State signee is fresh off a 4:07.78 personal best in the 1500m at the Stumptown Twilight earlier this month, which moved her to No.7 on the world U20 top list. She&rsquo;s entered in the 1500m among top runners including last year&rsquo;s Olympic Trials champion Nikki Hiltz.&nbsp;
At 16, <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/cooper-lutkenhaus-15152457" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cooper Lutkenhaus</a> is the youngest of the rising elite set to take the stage in Eugene. Less than a month after bettering the North American U18 best in the 800m with 1:45.45 to win at the US U20 Championships, Lutkenhaus will test his fitness among the veterans, including US record-holder Bryce Hoppel and area short track record-holder and world indoor champion Josh Hoey.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/anisa-bowen-fontenot-15026846" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anisa Bowen-Fontenot </a>and <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/jasmine-robinson-15161926" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jasmine Robinson</a> will both make their US Championships debuts in the 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles, respectively. Bowen-Fontenot, who won silver at the US U20 Championships earlier this year, is entered with a personal best of 13.16 that puts her at No.6 on the world U20 top list this year. Coming off a gold-medal performance in the 400m hurdles at the Nike Outdoor Nationals, Robinson&rsquo;s 57.12 puts her at No.11 on the world U20 top list.
Also hoping to shake things up in the hurdles is Samford Bulldog <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/bradley-franklin-15025463" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bradley Franklin</a>. The rising sophomore has the fastest time by a US U20 man in the 110m hurdles in 2025 at 13.46. His mark puts him at No.4 on the US U20 all-time list behind 2024 world U20 champion Ja&rsquo;Kobe Tharp, former world record-holder Renaldo Nehemiah and former LSU star Jordan Moore.
A full list of entries, broadcast and streaming information, and live results for the 2025 Toyota USATF Outdoor &amp; Para National Championships will be available <a href="https://www.usatf.org/events/2025/2025-toyota-usatf-outdoor-para-national-championsh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
Fans can follow the U20 stars on the World Athletics U20 Championships <a href="https://www.instagram.com/worldathleticsu20champs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571590496810" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://x.com/WAU20Champs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X</a> pages.&nbsp;
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A budding group of more than a dozen U20 stars are among those seeking a bit of Hayward magic at the senior championships.

U20 athletes to watch at the USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships

Numerous championship records highlighted five days of action at the 16th edition of the CAA African U20 Championships in Abeokuta, Nigeria, which concluded on Sunday (20).&nbsp;
Anatasha Cheptoo cut 20 seconds off the existing championship record to lead a Kenyan 3000m steeplechase sweep with her 9:27.84 &ndash; the top time by any Kenyan U20 woman this year. Her teammates Mercy Chepngeno and Sharon Chepkemoi also dipped under the previous record in 9:32.98 and 9:34.38.&nbsp;
Following suit, Uganda&rsquo;s Bentalin Yeko slashed nearly eight seconds off the 31-year-old 3000m championship record. The 17-year-old, who was seventh at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima last year, clocked the fastest time by any Ugandan U20 woman this year at 8:45.49 for her first medal on the international stage.&nbsp;
Charity Cherop, the bronze medallist at last year&rsquo;s World U20 Championships, broke the championship record in the 5000m as she clocked 15:10.88 to lead a Ugandan 1-2 alongside Risper Cherop, who took silver in 15:29.63.
The championship record in the women&rsquo;s pole vault hardly stood a chance against the African U20 leader, Ansume De Beer. The South African made a 4.00m clearance to topple the 3.65m record set in 1999 and take home continental gold. Egyptian U23 champion Rasha Tamer Tawfik also surpassed the previous championship record for silver with her 3.80m mark.&nbsp;&nbsp;
South Africa&rsquo;s Alicia Khunou tacked five metres on to the existing championship record in the discus as she landed a 54.91m throw, more than five meters farther than the rest of the field. The 19-year-old was just shy of bettering her own African U20 record of 55.06m set in April of this year.&nbsp;
Nigeria&rsquo;s Olympic finalist Prestina Ochonogor broke a 10-year-old championship record to win long jump gold. The African U20 record-holder soared 6.71m to take the title and improve the championship record of 6.33m set a decade ago by her fellow Nigerian Ese Brume.
<h2>South Africa sweeps the hurdles</h2>
Perhaps one of the most dominant showings of the championships came from South African hurdles sensation Tumi Ramokgopa. Fresh off a senior title in the high hurdles at the South African Championships, the 17-year-old was in prime condition for top performances in Abeokuta. Ramokgopa clocked 13.52 to better the championship record in the 100m hurdles by 0.07. She then went on to clock 57.97 in the 400m hurdles to sweep the women&rsquo;s hurdles crowns.&nbsp;
South Africa&rsquo;s men completed the sweep with gold in the 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles. Jack Naeem clocked 13.73 to take gold in the high hurdles while his teammate and African U20 leader Njabulo Mbatha won top honours in the 400m hurdles with a 51.46 showing.&nbsp;
<h2>Nigerian sweeps highlight the sprints</h2>
A pair of home-team sweeps got the Nigerian crowd on their feet for the sprints. Favour Onyinye Onyah led the first of the sweeps with her 52.47 win in the 400m. Her teammates Anita Enaruna and Jimoh Toyiba completed the sweep with 52.97 and 53.00, respectively.&nbsp;
Mirroring the 400m results, Nigeria went 1-2-3 in the 200m. Oghene Success Oyibu sped to a 23.56 win, with Chioma Cynthia Nweke and Lucy Chiamaka Nwankwo taking silver and bronze in 23.95 and 24.24. Just one day prior, Nweke led a Nigerian 1-2 finish in the women&rsquo;s 100m with her 11.65 into a -1.9m/s headwind.&nbsp;
Botswana&rsquo;s Justice Oratile was a double threat in the long sprints, coming away with titles in the men&rsquo;s 200m and 400m. The Motswana held off a trio of Nigerians in a competitive single lap with a victorious 45.58 before blazing to a 21.02 gold around the curve.&nbsp;
South Africa&rsquo;s Mia Davel and Martha Nkosi showed true team spirit with their double-gold performances in the women&rsquo;s high jump. Following 1.70m clearances, the pair chose to share the glory for South Africa atop the podium.&nbsp;
On the distance side, Samuel Cherop moved up in the U20 rankings with his 28:20.07 10,000m win. That time takes him to No. 4 on the world U20 list this year and is the fourth-fastest by any Ugandan runner of all ages in 2025.&nbsp;
A pair of U20 national leads were established in the 1500m finals. Uganda&rsquo;s Nancy Chepkwurui took the women&rsquo;s title in 4:10.31 &ndash; the top time of any U20 woman from Uganda in 2025 &ndash; and Jaouad Khchina clocked 3:38.17 for the men&rsquo;s win and a Moroccan U20 lead.&nbsp;
Hensu Lamberts highlighted the throws with a dominant showing in the men&rsquo;s 6kg shot put. The South African took over the African U20 lead with a 20.57m heave to win gold by nearly three metres.&nbsp;
Next up on the area U20 championships calendar is the European Athletics U20 Championships, to take place from 7-10 August in Tampere, Finland.

Numerous championship records highlighted five days of action at the 16th edition of the CAA African U20 Championships in Abeokuta

Championship records top African U20 Championships in Abeokuta

The USA Track &amp; Field (USATF) U20 Championships return to Hayward Field to crown USA&rsquo;s under-20 national champions.
U20 athletes are defined as any athlete who is 18 or 19 years of age on 31 December in the year of the competition. World Athletics hosts its U20 championships every other year, with the next iteration coming to Eugene&rsquo;s Hayward Field from 5-9 August in the summer of 2026.
Below are notable athletes to keep an eye on as the USATF U20 Championships unfold. For a full overview of the event, including broadcast information, visit the USATF website.
&nbsp;
Dana Wilson (Greensboro, NC), the second-ranked 100m and top-ranked 200m U20 runner in the world this year, is entered to compete in both sprint events at the USATF U20 Championships. Wilson has been undefeated in every race she has competed in this year, ranging from the 60m to 200m. Wilson&rsquo;s wind-legal personal best in the 100m stands at 11.02, run in May of this year. Her wind-legal personal best in the 200m is 22.45, run in April. Wilson is entering the USATF U20 Championships as a fresh high school graduate. She is committed to running for the University of Tennessee next year.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6852e24fd93d6865cfb2932f.jpg" alt="Dana Wilson" />
Dana Wilson (&copy; Victah Sailer)
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Wilson is joined in the USATF U20 100m Championship race by the No.3 U20 100m runner in the world this year, Mia Maxwell (Humble, Texas). Maxwell ran her PB in the event, 11.04, in June of this year, breaking a Texas state high school record which had stood since 2008. Just completing her junior year, Maxwell has one more year as a high school athlete.
Continuing on the women&rsquo;s sprints sides, NCAA standout Braelyn Baker (Carnation, Washington) is looking to continue her racing schedule into the USATF U20 Championships. Baker has run the third-fastest U20 in the world so far this year in the 400m hurdles: 56.35 &ndash; also her personal best. Baker raced at the recent NCAA Championships, also in Eugene, where she represented Duke University and finished ninth in the 400m hurdles.
Speaking of hurdles, two of the five fastest U20 100m hurdlers in the world so far this year are entered for the USATF U20 Championships. Joslyn Hamilton (Rolesville, NC), who has the No.2 U20 mark so far in the world this year, enters the field with a 13.13 personal best, run in April of this year. A current collegian, Hamilton runs for the University of South Carolina. Hamilton is joined by Anisa Bowen-Fontenot (San Diego, California), the current No.5 U20 100m hurdler in the world so far this year, who has a wind-legal PB of 13.19. A recent high school graduate, Bowen-Fontenot has committed to run for the University of Southern California next year.
On the field, the athlete with the sixth-best U20 mark in the world so far this year will take to the high jump apron. Karsyn Leeling (Sidney, Nebraska) jumped 1.85m (6&rsquo; &frac34;&rdquo;) twice in April, her personal best in the event. A current collegian, Leeling competes for the University of Nebraska.
Another college standout jumper, Anna Willis (Colorado Springs, Colorado) is the current No.1 U20 pole vaulter in the world so far this year, jumping a PB of 4.52m (14&rsquo; 10&rdquo;) in May. A current collegian representing the University of South Dakota, Willis recently competed at the NCAA Championships, where she jumped 4.44m (14&rsquo; 6 &frac34;&rdquo;) for fourth place.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6852e2d1d93d6865cfb29333.jpg" alt="US pole vaulter Anna Willis" />
US pole vaulter Anna Willis (&copy; University of South Dakota)
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Willis is joined by fellow U20 ranked vaulter Dyson Wicker (Heath, Texas), who has the second-best U20 mark in the world so far this year. The 5.56m (18&rsquo; 2 &frac34;&rdquo;) mark that earned him that ranking was achieved indoors in February. Wicker is also a current collegian and jumps for the University of Nebraska.
On the runway opposite from the pole vaulters, USATF U20 Championships fans will see Jayden Keys (Houston, Texas), who jumped the fifth-farthest U20 long jump mark in the world so far this year: 7.95m (26&rsquo; 1&rdquo;) in May. While only entered in the long jump at the USATF U20 Championships, Keys also has a personal best of 13.67 in the 110m hurdles, which is the sixth-best U20 mark in the world so far this year.
The following day, Xavier Drumgoole (Round Rock, Texas) will take to the same runway for the triple jump. Drumgoole has the current No.3 U20 mark in the world in the event, jumping 16.42m (53&rsquo; 10 &frac12;&rdquo;) in May. A current collegiate athlete at Stanford University, Drumgoole competed at the recent NCAA Championships.
In the throws, Donna Douglas (Jonesboro, Arkansas) is one to watch, with declared entries for the USATF U20 Championships in both the discus and shot put, in which she has the third and fifth best U20 marks in the world this year, respectively. Her PB of 16.69m (54&rsquo; 9 &frac14;&rdquo;)&nbsp; in the shot put was thrown in May, just two weeks after her PB of 58.78m (192&rsquo; 10&rdquo;) in the discus. Currently competing for the University of Tennessee, Douglas finished 16th at last week&rsquo;s NCAA Championships with a throw of 54.90m (180&rsquo; 1&rdquo;) in the discus.
Also in the shot put ring will be Bowen Fleming (South Lake Carroll, Texas), whose 18.49m (63&rsquo; 11 &frac12;&rdquo;) throw from June this year is the fourth-farthest U20 mark in the event this year. A recent high school graduate, Fleming will continue his sporting and academic development at the University of Indiana.
On the same infield in the other ring will be Bryce Ruland (Waterford, Wisconsin), who has the sixth-farthest U20 discus throw in the world this year. Ruland enters the USATF U20 Championships as the world U20 champion, earning gold in Peru last year with a throw of 62.59m (205&rsquo; 4&rdquo;).
The men&rsquo;s javelin will feature the second-best U20 thrower in the world this year, Nicholas Reynolds (Concord, New Hampshire). The 19-year-old threw 76.69m (251&rsquo; 7&rdquo;) in May while competing at the University of Tennessee, a personal-best mark by more than a metre.
The USATF U20 Championships begin with the women&rsquo;s 5000m on Thursday 19 June at 9:15am Pacific time and concludes with the decathlon 1500m on Friday 20 June at 8:15pm Pacific time. The event is being held in conjunction with the Nike Outdoor Nationals, the USA&rsquo;s premier high school national championship.

Notable athletes to keep an eye on as the USATF U20 Championships unfold

Athletes to watch at the USA Track & Field U20 Championships

The 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track &amp; Field Championships saw a number of U20 athletes representing their respective universities on collegiate athletics&rsquo; largest stage. Over the course of the four-day meeting at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, U20 athletes recorded podium finishes and 2025 U20 top 10 marks as their teams fought for the team title.
U20 athletes are defined as being 18 or 19 years of age on 31 December in the year of the competition. The World Athletics U20 Championships takes place every other year, with the next iteration coming to Hayward Field in the summer of 2026 from 5-9 August.
The first day of NCAA Championships competition featured qualifying rounds for the men&rsquo;s events, and saw Kenya&rsquo;s Joash Ruto record the fifth-fastest U20 time in the world so far this year for the 3000m steeplechase. His 8:22.94 was the fastest time of the day and a personal best by almost three seconds. Ruto followed his qualifier by clocking 8:20.47 in the final two days later, a personal best that puts him second on this season&rsquo;s world U20 top list and was good enough for fourth place for the Iowa State Cyclone.
University of Southern California&rsquo;s Brianna Selby was the U20 highlight of the second day of the NCAA Championships. She blazed a 100m PB of 11.01 &ndash; the fastest U20 time in the world this year. Going into the meeting, the US sprinter had the third-fastest time in the U20 100m this year (11.03). Selby returned to the track for her final on Saturday, running 11.25 and earning eighth place.
Day two also saw Duke University&rsquo;s Braelyn Baker notch a PB in the women&rsquo;s 400m hurdles. Her 56.35 makes her the third-fastest U20 athlete in the world this year. The 19-year-old returned for the final on the fourth day of competition and she ran 56.54 to earn ninth place.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6851513efd351685c65fbf8b.jpg" alt="Braelyn Baker in the 400m hurdles at the NCAA Championships" />
Braelyn Baker in the 400m hurdles at the NCAA Championships (&copy; WU20 Oregon 26)
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On the final day of action, USA&rsquo;s Valentina Fakrogha jumped a PB of 1.84m, a mark that moves her into the U20 top 10 this year in the high jump. That mark earned her an eighth-place finish &ndash; All-American status for the UCLA Bruin.
The final athlete to post a top 10 U20 mark for the year at the NCAA Championships was heptathlete Maresa Hense, a freshman from the University of Connecticut. Her 5608 points was a personal best for the 19-year-old German athlete, and is the 10th-best U20 score in the event so far this year.&nbsp;
Other notable performances by U20 athletes included Samuel Ogazi&rsquo;s NCAA title-winning 400m run in 44.84. The 19-year-old Nigerian athlete had previously run the second-best U20 time in the world this year (44.43). Xavier Butler also performed well, with a seventh-place finish in the men&rsquo;s 200m in 20.39. Butler currently has the fastest U20 time in the 200m this year (20.02). On the field, Prestina Ochonogor &ndash; the second-best U20 long jumper this year &ndash; finished in eighth place with a 6.41m leap. Her 2025 world No.2 U20 jump is 6.67m. Anna Willis vaulted to a fourth-place finish, clearing 4.44m. She has the current No.1 U20 pole vault mark in the world this year at 4.52m.
The U20 action at Hayward Field resumes with the USATF U20 Championships on 19-20 June. The European U20 Championships are next on the global calendar, occurring on 7-10 August.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7222970" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NCAA Championships results</a>
&nbsp;

U20 athletes recorded podium finishes and 2025 U20 top 10 marks as their teams fought for the team title

U20 athletes shine at NCAA Championships

The NCAA Division I Outdoor Track &amp; Field Championships descend upon Eugene's Hayward Field at the University of Oregon this week, bringing the top collegiate athletes to vie for individual and team titles.
Among the collegians are a slew of current U20 athletes, defined as any athlete of 18 or 19 years of age on 31 December in the year of the competition. World Athletics hosts its U20 Championships every other year, with the next iteration coming to Hayward Field in the summer of 2026 from 5-9 August.
Below are notable U20 athletes to keep an eye on as the NCAA Track &amp; Field Championships unfolds. For a full overview of the event, including broadcast information, visit <a href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/trackfield-outdoor-women/article/2025-05-22/2025-ncaa-outdoor-track-and-field-championships-schedule-location-tv&#96;" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the NCAA website</a>.
&nbsp;
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/xavier-butler-15082573" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Xavier Butler (USA)</a> is a sophomore (second-year student) at the University of Texas and has run the fastest U20 time over 200m so far this year. Butler&rsquo;s time of 20.02 was run during the NCAA qualifying rounds and is his personal best in the event. Butler enters the NCAA Championships with the eighth-fastest qualifying mark. In addition to the 200m, Butler is entered as part of the Longhorns&rsquo; 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/684849a1c75ed73af643f13e.jpg" alt="Xavier Butler" />
Xavier Butler (&copy; University of Texas)
</div>
&nbsp;
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/micahi-danzy-15022226" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Micahi Danzy (USA)</a> is a freshman (first-year student) at Florida State University, where he also plays football, and has run the fastest U20 time over 400m so far this year: 44.38, run during the ACC Outdoor Track &amp; Field Championships. Danzy ran 45.26 in the qualifying rounds, the fifth-fastest qualifying time in the NCAA Championships field. In addition to the 400m, Danzy is entered as part of the Seminoles&rsquo; 4x100m relay team.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/68484911c75ed73af643f132.jpg" alt="Micahi Danzy" />
Micahi Danzy (&copy; Florida State University)
</div>
&nbsp;
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/nigeria/samuel-ogazi-14978353" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Samuel Ogazi (NGR)</a> is a sophomore at the University of Alabama and has run the second-fastest U20 time over 400m so far this year: 44.43, run as the fastest qualifying time for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Ogazi represented Nigeria at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games at just 18 years old, where he finished seventh in 44.73 seconds after setting a PB of 44.41 in the semi finals. Prior to the Olympics, he finished third at the 2024 African Championships. In addition to the 400m, Ogazi is entered in the NCAA Championships as part of Alabama&rsquo;s 4x400m relay team.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6848498ac75ed73af643f13b.jpeg" alt="Samuel Ogazi" />
Samuel Ogazi (&copy; University of Alabama)
</div>
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<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/nigeria/chioma-nwachukwu-15023596" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chioma Nwachukwu (NGR)</a> is a freshman at the University of Iowa and has run the fastest U20 time over 400m so far this year: 51.26. Earlier in the year, she clocked an African U18 indoor best of 52.07. She is entered in the Hawkeyes&rsquo; 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/684848f7c75ed73af643f12f.JPG" alt="Chioma Nwachukwu" />
Chioma Nwachukwu (&copy; University of Iowa)
</div>
&nbsp;
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/braelyn-baker-14994013" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Braelyn Baker (USA)</a> is a freshman at Duke University and has run the second-fastest U20 time over 400m so far this year: 51.69. Baker qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 400m hurdles, in which she&rsquo;s run the third-fastest U20 mark in the world this year with 56.48 in the qualifying round. She is also entered in the Blue Devils&rsquo; 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/684848d2c75ed73af643f12c.jpg" alt="Braelyn Baker" />
Braelyn Baker (&copy; Duke University)
</div>
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<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/nigeria/prestina-oluchi-ochonogor-14970513" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prestina Ochonogor (NGR)</a> is a freshman at Tarleton State University and has jumped the second-farthest U20 mark in the long jump so far this year: 6.67m. Her personal best of 6.79m, set last year, is an African U20 record. Last year she won the senior Nigerian Championships, earned bronze at the African Games, finished 12th in the Olympic final and fifth at the World U20 Championships. Ochonogor jumped 6.66m to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, the second-best mark in qualifying rounds.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/68484929c75ed73af643f135.jpg" alt="Prestina Ochonogor" />
Prestina Ochonogor (&copy; Tarleton State University)
</div>
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<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/venezuela/ricardo-david-montes-14999232" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ricardo David Montes (VEN)</a> is a freshman at High Point University and has produced the best U20 mark in the pole vault so far this year: 5.60m in February &ndash; which is also a senior Venezuelan record. Montes also earned his first South American title this year, vaulting 5.40m in Argentina. Montes jumped 5.43m during the rounds to earn the top qualifying mark for the NCAA Championships.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/68484975c75ed73af643f138.jpeg" alt="Ricardo Montes" />
Ricardo Montes (&copy; High Point University)
</div>
&nbsp;
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/anna-willis-14967585" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anna Willis (USA)</a> is a freshman at the University of South Dakota and has jumped the highest U20 mark in the pole vault so far this year: 4.52m in May &ndash; a personal best. Willis jumped 4.42m to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, the top qualifying mark in the event.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6848489fc75ed73af643f129.jpg" alt="Anna Willis" />
Anna Willis (&copy; University of South Dakota)
</div>
 The decathlon kicks off four days of action at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships on Wednesday 11 June at 12:00pm Pacific time. Events conclude with the women&rsquo;s 4x400m relay on Saturday 14 June at 8:21pm Pacific time.

Notable U20 athletes to keep an eye on as the NCAA Track & Field Championships unfolds

NCAA Track & Field Championships: U20 athletes to watch

The World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 (WU20 Oregon 26) has unveiled its vibrant new branding, showcasing a dynamic event logo infused with iconic symbols and bold colours that capture the spirit of Oregon.
As legendary University of Oregon coach Bill Bowerman famously stated, &ldquo;Oregon is wood and wood is Oregon.&rdquo; This is represented through the geometric Oregon trees visible in the WU20 Oregon 26 logo. The triangles stacked to make up the tree in the centre of the logo are the same as the triangle used in the World Athletics logo.
In addition to forming a geometric tree, the triangles in the centre of the logo also provide the place where two geometric wings come together, a nod to both the traditional track &amp; field symbol of a winged foot as well as Oregon&rsquo;s state motto. In 1987, the phrase &ldquo;She flies with her own wings&rdquo; was adopted as the official motto of the State of Oregon after being proposed by Oregon&rsquo;s first-ever woman elected as governor, Barbara Roberts.&nbsp;
The primary iteration of the WU20 Oregon 26 mark features a light blue to represent Oregon&rsquo;s many waters and streams, as well as light green to represent Oregon&rsquo;s nature and trees.
For approved versions of the WU20 Oregon 26 logo set to be used in media coverage of the event, please click <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/h23uh2icuakx42u5gbd83/AAL-bOPyPq_kX0lD-j0MQG8?rlkey=1pnvn1ske1k8rx2bk004fu8pz&amp;st=ma6mj5vp&amp;dl=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
The WU20 Oregon 26 will take place between 5-9 August 2026 at <a href="https://hayward.uoregon.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hayward Field at the University of Oregon</a>. The event is hosted by TrackTown USA, the non-profit organisation responsible for the 2014 World U20 Championships, which was the last time this event was held in the United States. Fans interested in receiving up-to-date information on this event may subscribe to email communications at <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-u20-championships/oregon26" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worldathletics.org</a>.
&nbsp;

The WU20 Oregon 26 has unveiled its vibrant new branding, showcasing a dynamic event logo infused with iconic symbols and bold colours that capture the spirit of Oregon

Brand unveiled for World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26

The World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 will take place between 5-9 August 2026. 
It will be the 21st edition of the&nbsp;World Athletics U20 Championships. 
Oregon previously hosted the World Athletics Championships in 2022 and the World U20 Championships in 2014. 
More information on the WU20 Oregon 26 will be available here soon.
&nbsp;
 
Register for Inside Track now to be first to know about event news, ticket and timetable information.
&nbsp;
<center><a class="btn" style="width: 80% !important; display: block; text-align: center; color: white;" href="https://identity.worldathletics.org/registration?source=eugene26&amp;tag=eugene26&amp;_gl=1*12sie5*_ga*NTM4MTQwMTA5LjE3MjI0MjgwNjE.*_ga_7FE9YV46NW*MTcyNzEwMTI2Ni4yMjkuMS4xNzI3MTAxMjcxLjAuMC4w">REGISTER NOW</a></center>
&nbsp;

World Athletics U20 Championships, Oregon 26

World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26

Botswana win the men's 4x400m relay in Tokyo

Tebogo and Botswana defy massive rainstorm to make relay history | Tokyo Top Performance Day 9

Day 9 HL

Day 9 Highlights | World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

Beatrice Chebet celebrates winning 5000m gold in Tokyo

Chebet beats best friend Kipyegon to complete distance double  | Tokyo Top Performance Day 8

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Day 9 PM

Watch again – World Athletics Outdoor Championships | Day 9 Evening Session

Bahamas

Day 9 AM

Watch again – World Athletics Outdoor Championships | Day 9 Morning Session

DAY 8 HL

Day 8 Highlights | World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Noah Lyles celebrate their 200m golds in Tokyo

History makers Lyles and Jefferson-Wooden claim 200m crowns for USA  | Tokyo Top Performance Day 7

Qualification systems for WIC Kujawy Pomorze 26, WRE Gaborone 26 and WU20 Oregon 26 published

Teenage stars Zhang and Serem are youngest medalists of WCH Tokyo 25

More than 50 U20 athletes to compete at WCH Tokyo 25

Trościanka’s world U20 decathlon record headlines competition in Tampere

World champions, record-holders and double medal chances at European U20 Championships