The World Athletics U20 Championships is a major milestone in the careers of many rising athletes. With one month to go until Oregon hosts the global age-group event for the second time, we highlight some of the stars who competed at the 2014 edition and have gone on to secure success on the senior stage.
The World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26, taking place at Eugene&rsquo;s Hayward Field from 5-9 August, is where the next generation could start to follow in their footsteps. 
<h2>Dina Asher-Smith</h2>
Oregon is where Dina Asher-Smith won her first global title, the British sprinter clinching the 100m crown in 11.23.
Prior to that, she claimed 4x100m bronze as a 17-year-old at the senior World Championships in Moscow in 2013 and she went on to become an individual world champion, getting the 200m title in Doha in 2019.
The 2014 World U20 Championships was the first outdoor global track and field World Athletics Series event to be held in the USA and when global athletics returned to Oregon for the senior World Championships in 2022, Asher-Smith claimed another medal &ndash; 200m bronze.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6a4aace925455bb746f2f11a.jpg" alt="Dina Asher-Smith at the 2014 World U20 Championships" />
<div>
Dina Asher-Smith at the 2014 World U20 Championships (&copy; Getty Images)
<h2>Joshua Cheptegei</h2>
Joshua Cheptegei became the first global champion to be crowned at Hayward Field as the men&rsquo;s 10,000m was the first final held during the 2014 World U20 Championships and the Ugandan athlete claimed a convincing win in 28:32.86.
Like Asher-Smith, Cheptegei also returned to Oregon for the 2022 World Championships and he won another 10,000m title &ndash; the second of his three senior world crowns. He has also become a two-time Olympic champion, winning the 5000m in 2021 and the 10,000m in 2024, and is the world record-holder over both distances. 
<h2>Matthew Denny</h2>
Australia&rsquo;s Matthew Denny lined up in Oregon as a two-time global medallist, one year on from his discus gold and hammer bronze at the World U18 Championships in Donetsk. The then 18-year-old also contested both events at the World U20 Championships, his performances highlighted by a fourth-place finish in the discus.
He made his senior World Championships debut in 2019 and has finished in the top six in the discus at the past four editions &ndash; placing sixth in Oregon in 2022. Since then he has become an Olympic bronze medallist and sits second on the world all-time list with the Oceanian record of 74.78m he threw in Ramona last year.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6a4aacfd25455bb746f2f11d.jpg" alt="Matthew Denny in discus action in Eugene" />
<div>
Matthew Denny in discus action in Eugene (&copy; Getty Images)
<h2>Shamier Little</h2>
The US team topped the medal table at the 2014 World U20 Championships on home soil, claiming 11 titles. Shamier Little was among the winners as she completed a 400m hurdles title treble at Hayward Field that summer &ndash; her world U20 gold following the NCAA title and US U20 title she claimed on the same track.
She also formed part of USA&rsquo;s gold medal-winning 4x400m team at the World U20 Championships and went on to win the next two NCAA titles and two of her three senior US titles in Oregon. She finished fourth at the World Championships there in 2022 and claimed silver medals either side of that &ndash; in Beijing as a 20-year-old in 2015 and in Budapest in 2023. 
<h2>Yulimar Rojas</h2>
Venezuelan triple jump star Yulimar Rojas might not have made it on to the podium in Oregon 12 years ago, but she has secured significant success since.
The then 18-year-old finished 11th in the long jump and also contested the triple jump at the World U20 Championships but has gone on to become a four-time world triple jump champion, an Olympic gold medallist and the world record-holder, soaring 15.74m to win the third of her world indoor titles in Belgrade in 2022.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6a4aad1325455bb746f2f120.jpg" alt="Yulimar Rojas at the World U20 Championships in Eugene" />
<div>
Yulimar Rojas at the World U20 Championships in Eugene (&copy; Getty Images)
<h2>Woo Sanghyeok</h2>
Korea&rsquo;s Woo Sanghyeok was already a global champion by the time he got to Oregon &ndash; as a 17-year-old he won the world U18 high jump title with a PB clearance of 2.20m in Donetsk. He achieved another PB on the global stage at the World U20 Championships, clearing 2.24m to clinch bronze.
After clearing a national record of 2.36m in the February of 2022 and winning the first of his two world indoor titles in the March, Woo made the podium again in Oregon later that year, claiming World Championships silver. He repeated that feat at last year&rsquo;s World Championships in Tokyo. 
Other senior global medallists who started out by making the world U20 podium in Eugene in 2014 include Sweden&rsquo;s Andreas Almgren (800m bronze), USA&rsquo;s Trayvon Bromell (100m silver), Ethiopia&rsquo;s Yomif Kejelcha (5000m gold), Japan&rsquo;s Yoshihide Kiryu (100m bronze), Croatia&rsquo;s Sara Kolak (javelin bronze), Cuba&rsquo;s L&aacute;zaro Mart&iacute;nez (triple jump gold), New Zealand&rsquo;s Eliza McCartney (pole vault bronze), Cuba&rsquo;s Liadagmis Povea (triple jump silver), USA&rsquo;s Valarie Sion (discus silver) and the Netherlands&rsquo; Nadine Visser (100m hurdles and heptathlon bronze).
&nbsp;
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

World Athletics U20 Championships

With one month to go until the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26, we highlight some of the stars who competed at the 2014 edition

Oregon reflections – the world U20 class of 2014

The World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 (WU20 Oregon 26) has unveiled the medals set to be awarded to the world&rsquo;s brightest rising stars this August at <a href="https://hayward.uoregon.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hayward Field at the University of Oregon</a>.
Designed to be symbolic of Oregon's natural beauty and rich track and field history, the medals take the shape of the WU20 Oregon 26 event logo, which features geometric Oregon trees and wings, which come together to represent the traditional track &amp; field winged foot symbol. The symbol of wings carries a double meaning in the state of Oregon, as the state motto of &ldquo;She flies with her own wings&rdquo; was officially adopted by the state legislature in 1987.
The medal details go as far as the ribbon attached. Gold medals are bound by a blue ribbon, symbolizing Oregon&rsquo;s plentiful waters and streams; silver medals include a red and orange ribbon inspired by the state&rsquo;s vibrant sunrises and sunsets; and the ribbons on bronze medals will don the iconic green that defines the region&rsquo;s landscape.
&ldquo;The intention for the design of this year&rsquo;s medals was to be reflective of what the great state of Oregon is known for, while also capturing the energetic spirit of the U20 athletes and audience&rdquo; said Oregon 26 Chief Marketing Officer Karen Ramming. &ldquo;The shapes, color tones, and textures bring that symbolism to life in a vibrant way. We are proud of what our creative team has designed.&rdquo;
In addition to their medals, athletes who reach the podium will also receive a set of honorary pins in the same medal design to share with those who made it count the most by supporting them in their journeys. The pins serve as a reminder that behind every medal moment are coaches, family members, friends, and teammates who helped to make the dream a reality.
The World Athletics U20 Championships will welcome more than 1,700 athletes from more than 135 countries to Hayward Field from August 5-9, 2026. This marks the 21st edition of the World Athletics U20 Championships and the second time the Championships have been held in Oregon.
Tickets are selling fast. Don&rsquo;t miss your chance to see some of the world&rsquo;s top U20 stars as they make their mark on the world stage in Oregon. <a href="https://am.ticketmaster.com/haywardtrackandfield/buy?id=NDk5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get your tickets now</a>.

The World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 (WU20 Oregon 26) has unveiled the medals set to be awarded to the world’s brightest rising stars this August at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon.

Medal Suite Unveiled for World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26

Sprint doubles by Mia Maxwell and Tate Taylor plus a series of 110m hurdles records were among the highlights at the US U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Held as part of the Nike Outdoor Nationals from 18-22 June at Hayward Field, athletes were keen to make their mark at the venue that will host the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 in August.
In the race for host nation World U20 Championships places, Ja'Shaun Lloyd was the first of the US U20 record-breakers in the 110m hurdles as he won his heat in 13.04 (0.2m/s) to improve on the previous record of 13.05 held by the now senior world record-holder Ja'Kobe Tharp.
But it didn&rsquo;t stand long as Le'Ezra Brown won the next heat in 12.95 (-0.6m/s) &ndash; a North American U20 record that moved him to second on the world U20 all-time list.
Brown narrowly lost the final to Zacchaeus Brocks as they both clocked 12.98 (0.5m/s) &ndash; moving Brocks to joint fifth on the world U20 all-time list &ndash; and were separated by just two thousandths of a second. Lloyd was third in 13.01, also placing him in the all-time top 10.
USA&rsquo;s Taylor was another athlete to launch himself up the world U20 all-time list, winning the 200m in 19.94 (0.8m/s) to become the fourth-fastest U20 200m sprinter in history. That completed the 18-year-old&rsquo;s national title double, following his 100m win in 10.15 (-1.3m/s) the day before. Blake Hamilton finished second in the 200m in 20.02, while Kyler Brown was runner-up in the 100m in 10.21.
Taylor went on to finish second in the Outdoor Nationals 100m, running 10.10 (1.3m/s) in a race won by his training partner Jake Odey-Jordan of Great Britain in a European U20 record of 10.01. The World U20 Championships in Oregon offers Odey-Jordan the chance to build on the 200m bronze and 4x100m silver he claimed as a 16-year-old at the last edition of the championships in Lima in 2024 and&nbsp;Taylor could be one of his main rivals.
USA&rsquo;s Mia Maxwell and her twin sister Mariah secured the top two spots in the 100m and the 200m. Mia clocked 11.08 (0.8m/s) to win the shorter sprint before completing the double by claiming the 200m crown in 22.49 (0.0m/s), just 0.01 off the championship record. Mariah was runner-up in 11.33 and 22.86, respectively.
Jayden DeLeon improved his PB by almost a second to 44.52, a championship record, to win the 400m ahead of Quincy Wilson (44.84), while Atajas Stephanie-Vazquez ran a PB of 51.08 to secure her 400m title.
Claire Stegall won the 1500m in a championship record of 4:04.59, moving her to second on the US U20 all-time list, while Hannah Grace cleared 4.45m to win the pole vault and secure her team spot for a second World U20 Championships following her fourth place in Lima two years ago.
Jaslene Massey achieved a throws double, winning the discus with a PB of 60.27m to move to third on the US U20 all-time list and then throwing another PB of 16.88m to win the shot put. She went on to also win both events as part of the Outdoor Nationals competition.
The US U20 Championships, which took place on the first two days of the&nbsp;Outdoor Nationals, served as the host nation&rsquo;s selection event for the World U20 Championships. The top two finishers in each event who have achieved the qualifying standard will be selected for the global championships, taking place from 5-9 August.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7243025?eventId=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Results</a>
&nbsp;

Sprint doubles by Mia Maxwell and Tate Taylor plus a series of 110m hurdles records were among the highlights at the US U20 Championships

Records fall as athletes fight for world team places at US U20 Championships

Two-time world U20 medallist Shanoya Douglas secured a sprint double at the Jamaican U20 Championships (18-21 June), winning the 100m and the 200m in Kingston.
The 100m was one of the most anticipated events as it featured two of the most exciting and fiercely competitive Jamaican U20 athletes, racing each other for the first time since 2024. The ease with which both athletes won their semifinals created an electric atmosphere for their rematch.
In the final, world U20 leader Douglas ran 11.08 (0.1m/s) to overcome a spirited challenge from Theianna-Lee Terrelonge (11.18).
&ldquo;I think she (Terrelonge) is very strong at the start, and I&rsquo;m strong in the transition and the finish phases,&rdquo; explained Douglas, who claimed a CARIFTA sprint triple in Grenada in April. &ldquo;Once I get a decent start, I believe I will win because I believe in myself.&rdquo;
Two days later, Douglas completed the sprint double &ndash; her third this season &ndash; by winning the 200m in 22.56.
&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t execute the way I wanted, but I&rsquo;m still pleased with the performance and I have a lot more to show in Oregon (World U20 Championships), where I am working towards winning the gold medal,&rdquo; added Douglas, the world U20 4x100m gold and 200m bronze medallist in Lima two years ago.
Robert Miller achieved a PB of 49.96 to win the 400m hurdles, becoming the ninth fastest in Jamaican history. Behind Miller, a close race unfolded between Jahvanie Tyrell and Joshua Wint, the photo finish camera confirming a win for Tyrell by just three thousandths of a second, as both were timed at 50.27.
CARIFTA Games champion Tiana Marshall continued her dominance in the 100m hurdles, winning in 13.10 (1.7m/s).&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very excited to be going to Eugene for the World U20 Championships,&rdquo; said Marshall, who sits third on this year&rsquo;s world top list. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s the biggest championships for me this season and I&rsquo;m excited to see what I will do out there.&rdquo;
Marquies Page, who missed the CARIFTA Games earlier this year, booked his ticket to Oregon with a sublime run in the 110m hurdles. After a sluggish start, Page smoothly reeled in the field and overtook early leader Taj-Oneil Gordon. Page&rsquo;s winning time was 13.34, while Gordon recorded a PB of 13.37.
&ldquo;My approach to the first three hurdles wasn&rsquo;t the best, but I shook it off, got back my rhythm and finished the race,&rdquo; explained Page.&nbsp;
Daniella Dixon maintained her composure in the 400m final to fend off the fast-finishing CARIFTA U17 champion Shameika McLean, winning in 52.64 to McLean's 52.76.
Noel Francis for World Athletics
&nbsp;

Two-time world U20 medallist Shanoya Douglas secured a sprint double at the Jamaican U20 Championships (18-21 June), winning the 100m and the 200m in Kingston

Douglas wins sprint double to highlight Jamaican U20 Championships

The local organizing committee for the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 (WU20 Oregon 26) is pleased to announce the return of <a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/legend-the-bigfoot-announced-as-official-mascot-of-world-athletics-championships-oregon22">Legend the Bigfoot</a> as the official mascot for this August&rsquo;s championship at <a href="https://hayward.uoregon.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hayward Field at the University of Oregon</a>.
Legend was first introduced at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, and returns following a four-year hibernation in the lush forests of Oregon as the next generation of stars get set to shine in the Pacific Northwest for the World Athletics U20 Championships. <a href="https://youtu.be/HVDUkLZANN4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch here</a> to see Legend emerge from hibernation in time for the Championships.
The iconic mascot will once again embody Oregon&rsquo;s unique natural beauty, love for sport, and culture. Legend is larger-than-life, bold, playful, and energized by the world&rsquo;s best track and field fans.
Throughout the Championships, fans and participants can connect with Legend on and off the track. In the weeks prior, those who keep an eye out just might spot Legend at community events.
Fans can follow Legend the Bigfoot on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/legendthebigfoot/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> and enjoy a unique perspective on the World Athletics U20 Championships.
The World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 are set to welcome more than 1,700 athletes from 135+ countries 5-9 August, 2026. Tickets are selling fast. Don&rsquo;t miss your chance to see some of the world&rsquo;s top U20 stars as they make their mark on the world stage in Oregon.
Tickets, VIP Experience Packages, and Accommodations packages are now on sale <a href="https://am.ticketmaster.com/haywardtrackandfield/buy?id=NDk5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
Those interested in volunteering at the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 can learn more <a href="https://www.gotracktownusa.com/volunteer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HVDUkLZANN4" width="560" height="314" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

The local organizing committee for the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 (WU20 Oregon 26) is pleased to announce the return of Legend the Bigfoot as the official mascot for this August’s championship at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon. 

Legend the Bigfoot returns as the Official Mascot of World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26

India&rsquo;s young high jump sensation Pooja once again asserted that she is the best in the business by clinching gold during the four-day Asian U20 Championships, which concluded at the Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground in Hong Kong on Sunday (31).
On Friday (29), the 19-year-old surpassed Svetlana Radzivil&rsquo;s 20-year-old championship record on her second attempt by clearing 1.91m. She then soared over 1.93m without knocking the bar to set an Indian senior record. She also made a gallant attempt to get the Asian U20 record of 1.96m but was unsuccessful.
Pooja, the surprise Asian champion in Gumi last year, was raised in a humble farming family in India&rsquo;s Haryana State. Her first international title came in the Asian U18 Championships in Tashkent three years ago. In 2023, she also won silver at the Asian U20 Championships in Yecheon and bronze at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Port of Spain. She skipped the last edition of the Asian U20 event in Dubai two years ago.
Before heading to Hong Kong, Pooja cleared 1.90m in New Delhi in April.
&ldquo;When I looked at 1.93m, I remembered the times I trained back at home without mats and falling on the ground. Hence, clearing it brought me immense joy and relief,&rdquo; said Pooja, who added that she will target the Asian U20 record again during this year&rsquo;s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Korea&rsquo;s Park Si-hoon won shot put gold with a record to boot. With a final hurrah in the U20 category, he surpassed Li Meng&rsquo;s 15-year-old Asian U20 record of 20.63m in the 6kg shot with a heave of 20.65m to complete his collection of medals with gold in Hong Kong.&nbsp;
In a fitting gesture to his father, who taught Park lifting exercises in the gym in Gumi, Park developed in the throwing arena as a promising shot putter.&nbsp;Like Pooja, Park won the Asian U18 title in Tashkent. He had a gradual upward lift on the podium, starting with a bronze in Yecheon in 2023 and a silver in Dubai in 2024 at the Asian U20 Championships.&nbsp;
The 19-year-old, who has already competed with the senior implement, intends to take part in the inaugural Asian U23 Championships in Ordos in July and has ambitions of throwing 21 metres one day.
<h2>United Arab Emirates sprinters shine with records</h2>
Suleiman Abdulrahman of United Arab Emirates surprised the Qatari duo of Khala Mahamat and Youssouf Djibrine as he ran 44.85 to win the 400m. His time eclipsed the championship record of 45.53 set by China&rsquo;s Ailixier Wumaier at the last edition two years ago. Mahamat also beat the previous record to get silver in 45.19.
A day later, Abdulrahman was part of the quartet that won the mixed 4x400m in a record time of 3:18.81.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
With similar passion, Aminat Kamarudeen of United Arab Emirates also took two gold medals in the 400m and the mixed relay. She clocked a PB of 52.72 to win the individual event.&nbsp;
Abdul Quddus Ahmed Ali clinched men&rsquo;s 200m gold in 20.85 (-1.6m/s), while Mariam Kareem excelled in the women&rsquo;s 400m hurdles in 56.93.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Qatar&rsquo;s Mubarik Abdi Said halted the Japanese monopoly in the 3000m with a record-breaking effort of 7:56.08 to win the gold. The defending champion Mashiko Yota finished third. Said went on to claim his second gold by winning the 1500m in 3:44.40.
Championship records were set in three of the four hurdling events. China&rsquo;s 16-year-old Zhang Keyi triumphed in the 100m hurdles in 13.38 (0.4m/s). Japan&rsquo;s Jeremy Koga clocked 13.05 (-0.5m/s) in the 110m hurdles, while his compatriot Taiju Goto won the 400m hurdles, shaving 0.05 from Ismail Douda Abakar&rsquo;s 2023 mark of 49.30.
A total of 10 championship records, including one Asian U20 record, were bettered during the four-day competition. The final evening witnessed records in the 4x400m, with China (3:04.88) and India (3:38.07) taking gold in the men's and women's races, respectively.
China topped the medal tally for the 18th time in 21 editions with 14 gold, nine silver and two bronze medals. India (10-5-4) placed second and Japan (5-5-8) third.&nbsp;
Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s Taif will host the next edition of the championships in 2028.
Ram. Murali Krishnan for World Athletics

India’s Pooja clinched high jump gold during the four-day Asian U20 Championships

Pooja and Park steal the show at Asian U20 Championships in Hong Kong

Emmanuel Kiprono and Cynthia Chepkirui were among the rising stars who secured qualification for the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 following the conclusion of the two-day Kenyan trials at Nyayo National Stadium on Friday and Saturday (22-23).
World U20 cross-country silver medallist Kiprono delivered a commanding performance in the men&rsquo;s 3000m on Friday, clocking 7:35.40 to book an automatic place at the global showpiece. Elkanah Sanutia finished second in 7:59.60, while Enock Tuitoek claimed third place.
&ldquo;I came to this race prepared,&rdquo; said 17-year-old Kiprono, who won the U20 3000m at the Kip Keino Classic last month. &ldquo;The pace was a bit slow, and I decided to push myself and eventually came out with a win.
&ldquo;I got a silver medal at the World Cross Country Championships, and I was not happy with it, so I&rsquo;ve worked really hard. I want to go to Oregon and come back home with a gold medal.&rdquo;
In the women&rsquo;s race, Faith Cherotich Rono produced a strong late surge to win in 8:58.22, holding off a spirited challenge from Mercy Mageso, who crossed the line second in 8:59.00 after finishing third in the 5000m on Friday. Venenza Chebet completed the podium in 9:03.69.
African U18 3000m champion Chepkirui dominated the women&rsquo;s 5000m to take victory in 15:24.40. African U20 3000m bronze medallist Joyline Chepkemoi finished second in 15:37.8, while Mageso completed an impressive double by securing third place in 15:54.8.
Chepkirui&rsquo;s win continues her steady improvement in a season that has already seen her place fourth in the U20 race at the World Cross Country Championships, third in the 5000m at the World Athletics Relays Trials, and ninth at the Addis Ababa Grand Prix.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6a12d7701e6c239b4c55edef.jpeg" alt="Cynthia Chepkirui wins the 5000m ahead of Joyline Chepkemoi and Mercy Mageso in Nairobi" />
<div>
Cynthia Chepkirui wins the 5000m ahead of Joyline Chepkemoi and Mercy Mageso in Nairobi (&copy; Sylvia Abigael Wafula)
&ldquo;When I go back to the camp, I will work on my speed,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m capable of winning a gold medal if I put in the work. My gold medal from Africa gives me the much-needed confidence to do well in Oregon.&rdquo;
The men&rsquo;s race witnessed a major upset as Andrew Alamisi, who won gold at the last edition of the World U20 Championships in Lima in 2024, was forced to settle for third in 13:51.33.
Nehemiah Kipngeno won the race in 13:41.16 ahead of Andrew Kiptoo Kiprop, who clocked 13:42.83.
The 3000m steeplechase events also delivered thrilling performances, African U18 champion Emmanuel Lemiso and African U20 champion Anatasha Cheptoo claiming top honours.
Lemiso impressed with a personal best of 8:35.30 to win the men&rsquo;s race, holding off Nicholas Losiwaren who finished second in 8:37.98, while Brian Kandie completed the podium in 8:45.24.
&ldquo;This victory is a huge motivating factor for me ahead of the World U20 Championships. After the Kip Keino Classic, I changed my diet and worked hard in training, especially clearing the water barriers,&rdquo; said Lemiso, who finished second at the Kip Keino Classic.
&ldquo;When we go to Eugene, I want to win a gold medal. I want to continue polishing my ability to clear the barriers smoothly.&rdquo;
Cheptoo produced a commanding display to win in 9:37.37, pulling off a notable upset in the process. Mercy Chepngeno, who is fresh from gaining silver at the African Championships, had to settle for second place in 9:47.40, while Abigael Kosgei completed the podium in 10:12.94.
&ldquo;I was exhausted coming into this race because I&rsquo;ve not rested well after the Africa Championships in Accra, but I gave my level best,&rdquo; said Chepngeno. &ldquo;Competing with the senior athletes in Accra was not easy, but the experience there was invaluable.&rdquo;
Josephine Sembeyo won the women&rsquo;s 1500m in 4:09.89, finishing ahead of Caren Chepchirchir (4:12.10) and Milcent Jeepkonga Kipykomen (4:17.84).
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6a12d7d8dd1097be7bcf4ec4.jpeg" alt="Josephine Sembeyo in action at the Kenyan trials for the World U20 Championships" />
<div>
Josephine Sembeyo in action at the Kenyan trials for the World U20 Championships (&copy; Sylvia Abigael Wafula)
In the men&rsquo;s race, Wilson Chepkwech took victory in 3:40.88, with David Kapaiko placing second in 3:41.29 and Brivon Kiptoo Koech third in 3:43.20.
Nancy Chepngetich won the women&rsquo;s 800m in 2:00.18, while Nashon Pkiach claimed victory in the men&rsquo;s race in 1:46.17.
Nancy Kibet clocked 52.70 to win the 400m and she was closely followed by Judith Sapato, who secured second place in 53.88. Faith Kemunto Onserio was third (55.54).
Sylvia Abigael Wafula for World Athletics
<h3>Kenyan team for Oregon</h3>
 WOMEN
400m: Nancy Kibet, Judith Sepato 800m: Nancy Chepngetich, Nancy Kibet 1500m: Caren Chepchirchir, Josephine Sembeyo 3000m: Faith Cherotich Rono, Mercy Chepngeno 5000m: Joyline Chepkemoi, Cynthia Chepkirui 3000m steeplechase: Mercy Chepngeno, Anatasha Cheptoo
MEN
100m: Louis Khawel 800m: Nashon Pkiach, Collins Tentera 1500m: Wilson Chepkwech, David Kapaiko 3000m: Emmanuel Kiprono, Elkana Sanutia 5000m: Frankline Kibet, Nehemiah Kipngeno 3000m steeplechase: Emmanuel Lemiso, Nicholas Kitum
&nbsp;
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Emmanuel Kiprono and Cynthia Chepkirui were among the rising stars who secured qualification for the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 following the conclusion of the two-day Kenyan trials

Kiprono and Chepkirui lead Kenyan charge to World U20 Championships after trials in Nairobi

World U20 silver medallists Gout Gout and Izobelle Louison-Roe have been named on Australia&rsquo;s team for the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 on 5-9 August.
With 75 athletes selected, it is set to be&nbsp;Australia&rsquo;s biggest team in the history of the global U20 event.
Gout secured 200m silver in Lima in 2024 and has gone on to become a world U20 record-breaker in the discipline, clocking 19.67 in Sydney in April.
The 18-year-old is entered for the 200m and the 4x400m in Oregon.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m really excited to get out there at World Athletics U20s in Eugene, Oregon,&rdquo; Gout told Australian Athletics.
&ldquo;I know it&rsquo;s a great stadium and place to run fast, and I feel confident I&rsquo;ll be ready to step up and make Australia proud. I&rsquo;ll be competing in the 200m but I&rsquo;m also excited to join in the 4x400m on the last day.&rdquo;
Louison-Roe&nbsp;also claimed silver in Lima, in the high jump. The 18-year-old, who cleared a PB of 1.95m in January and matched that mark in March, is entered for both the high jump and the triple jump and will decide which event she will contest closer to the competition.
Mason McGroder claimed long jump bronze in Lima and the 17-year-old also returns to the global stage.
Isaac Beacroft is another major medallist on the team. The 18-year-old won the U20 10km race walk at the World Race Walking Team Championships in Antalya in 2024 and finished second in this year&rsquo;s event in Bras&iacute;lia. He also has experience of competing at the World U20 Championships as he finished fourth in the 10,000m race walk in Lima two years ago. In Oregon he will contest the 5000m race walk.
<h3>Australian team for Oregon:</h3>
WOMEN 100m:&nbsp;Zara Hagan, Maya Taber 200m: Zara Hagan, Amaya Mearns 400m: Alice Hill, Shari Hurdman 800m: Ivy Boothroyd,&nbsp;Emma Fryga 1500m: Mia Gray, Milla Roberts 3000m: Imogen Baker, Eliza Lawton 5000m: Imogen Baker, Libby Mantay 3000m steeplechase: Helena Butler, Tessa Ebert 100m hurdles: Jamison Harding, Tammin Lampret 400m hurdles: Shakira Harding, Maiya Hewitt 5000m race walk: Sophie Polkinghorne, Zoe Woods High jump: Izobelle Louison-Roe Pole vault: Jamison Harding, Rangi Khushnoor Long jump: Geena Davy Triple jump: Izobelle Louison-Roe Shot put: Manaia Coulter, Lauren Kelly Discus: Riley-Jay Henry-Purcell, Chelsy Wayne Heptathlon: Bailey Van Den Broek, Isabella Wing 4x100m: Grace Crowe,&nbsp;Mackenzie Estlick, Zara Hagan, Amaya Mearns, Leah O&rsquo;Brien, Thewbelle Philp,&nbsp;Emilia Reed,&nbsp;Maya Taber 4x400m: Samara Bond,&nbsp; Alice Hill, Shari Hurdman, Naomi Krajancic, Xanthee Watts, Charlotte McAuliffe
MEN 100m:&nbsp;Uwezo Lubenda, Zavier Peacock 200m: Gout Gout, Zavier Peacock&nbsp; 400m: Chase Grant, Seth Kennedy 800m:&nbsp;Harry Halleen, Daniel Williams 1500m: Alexander Cameron-Smith, Kieran Shepherd 3000m: Charles Barrett, Matthew McLachlan 5000m: Charles Barrett, Lucas Chis 3000m steeplechase: Jonathan Neethling 110m hurdles: Oliver Facer, Harrison Purcell 400m hurdles: Will Tait, Ethan Williams 5000m race walk: Isaac Beacroft, Owen Toyne Long jump: Mason McGroder, Luke Vrataric Triple jump: Lian Anagnostopoulos, Daniel Okerenyang Discus: Elijah Wilson Hammer: Connor Hopgood, Xavier Leauma Decathlon: Xavier Davie, Wyatt Hill 4x100m: Paul Ehioghae, Kelechi Ekwomadu, Dylan Hall, Josiah John, Hugh Kabengele, Uwezo Lubenda, Zavier Peacock 4x400m: Gout Gout, Chase Grant, Fred Hamblin, Seth Kennedy, Dashiell Muir, Dylan Ruming, Terrell Thorne

Gout Gout and Izobelle Louison-Roe have been named on Australia’s team for the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 on 5-9 August.

World U20 medallists Gout and Louison-Roe lead Australian team for Oregon

By Owen Murray
Two days before her 18th birthday, Jil Sanchez woke up excited in Finland.
She knew that, later that day, she&rsquo;d stand on the European stage at least once. If her 100m hurdles semifinal went well, she&rsquo;d stand there twice. Sanchez, now a Swiss international hurdler, is used to existing in front of an audience; before this life, she was a ballet and a hip-hop dancer, then a flautist and a pianist.
But she had to set arts aside when athletics clicked, and on the edge of 18, she toed the line in Tampere as the favorite in a European U20 final. She remembers the atmosphere.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s big,&rdquo; Sanchez said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s overwhelming. But I think it&rsquo;s cool because, especially in international competitions, you have your whole team &mdash; your whole country &mdash; behind your back.&rdquo;
When Sanchez is standing down there, tensed, she can dissect the roar. She knows her teammates are one pitch. She knows that part of it is her nation. She doesn&rsquo;t remember her races, but she has a word to describe the feeling in the blocks.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s electrifying,&rdquo; she said.
Her final was run into a 1.5 m/s headwind, but Sanchez forged ahead. When she crossed the line in 13.24 seconds, the new European U20 champion covered her mouth in disbelief. The stage was hers.
Ahead of August&rsquo;s World Athletics U20 Championships at Hayward Field, Sanchez is growing toward her next peak. She&rsquo;s combining music and movement as one of Europe&rsquo;s best young hurdlers, and as she returns from the injury that ended her 2025 outdoor season to chase a first world title, she&rsquo;s embracing the big stage.
Six months ago, Sanchez picked up a guitar for the first time. She grew up with music and dance &mdash;&nbsp;the ballet, the hip-hop, the street dancing classes were six years of her life. Now, she&rsquo;s teaching herself guitar.
&ldquo;I missed music,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I wanted to learn something new.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Electrifying&rdquo; isn&rsquo;t how she&rsquo;d describe the feeling she has when she&rsquo;s holding her guitar. It&rsquo;s meant to be a window into a relaxing, calm experience that she doesn&rsquo;t always get on the track.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I think when you listen to music, you can just dive into another world, and you can just be with your thoughts,&rdquo; Sanchez said. It helps me organize my thoughts and my head.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Thomas Hager remembers the first time he met Sanchez well. She was 15 years old, and he&rsquo;d been assigned as a regional coach.
&ldquo;It wasn&rsquo;t that good of a day for her,&rdquo; Hager said. &ldquo;My question, in the end, was, &lsquo;Should we talk now or should we talk later?&rsquo;&rdquo;
She picked later. They never talked about the race, but a month afterward, Sanchez asked if she could join Hager&rsquo;s training group. It was a 40-minute drive from her home, but she started splitting time between training with Hager and time at her local club.
Once Sanchez did, she started asking the questions. One of the first, Hager said, was what her &ldquo;perfect week&rdquo; of training would look like under him. She had a &ldquo;feeling,&rdquo; he said, that something was wrong with her regimen. They were sitting before training in a gym, and Hager grabbed paper and a pen to draw it out.
&ldquo;Why don&rsquo;t we change everything to this?&rdquo; Sanchez asked. Hager obliged.
&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t expect that question at that age,&rdquo; he said.
Sanchez advanced quickly; she was all-in, with music and dancing set aside to pursue athletics, she arrived at a U18 final with a 14.2-second personal best. The spark, though, was still to come. That final saw her cut 0.6 seconds off her time.
&ldquo;It was kind of the day where everything clicked,&rdquo; she said.
In Sanchez&rsquo;s eyes, hurdling is a combination of speed and technique. The speed was always the part she loved, and if there&rsquo;s overspeed sprinting on the training plan, she&rsquo;s &ldquo;smiling all week,&rdquo; Hager said.
But the technique is what keeps her coming back, and the combination of both, she said, makes it &ldquo;really special.&rdquo;
Hager, Sanchez said, has always been a strong communicator, and they operate on the same wavelength. On that day, she started going faster and faster over the hurdles each round and found a new feeling &mdash; &ldquo;fast hurdling,&rdquo; she said. It was one German word in a conversation between the two that had unlocked the sport to her.
&ldquo;Kompakt.&rdquo;
The line between electrifying and calm, for Sanchez, is one she takes time to understand. Her home, Steinen, is home to just 3,000. Her time away &mdash; at first, driving to Hager's training group, then traveling to meets&nbsp;&mdash; takes her further from the place where, she said, &ldquo;everybody knows everybody.&rdquo;
From her desk at home, she can see the hills. She walks through the town when she returns. The feeling on those walks is similar, she said, to the one she gets with her guitar &mdash;&nbsp;a sense of calm. She&rsquo;ll always love to travel; her Instagram highlights are labeled &ldquo;europe&rdquo;, &ldquo;london&rdquo; and &ldquo;espa&ntilde;a&rdquo;; but her hometown is always a unique feeling.
She left home for Finland in August 2025, with that European final on the line. As she dissected the crowd at the final, there was one face she knew wasn&rsquo;t there.
Hager also works as a teacher. He stayed as long as he could, for Sanchez&rsquo;s heats and semifinal &mdash;&nbsp;so long that he had to do some running of his own to the bus and the airplane back to Zurich.
He sat on the flight with two other coaches. Hager didn&rsquo;t know the flight had internet access, and so when a coach approached him with the live results, he had to make a decision: wait, or watch.&nbsp;
The coach handed over his phone. Hager was cheering in his seat.
&ldquo;I could watch all the runs afterwards, and it was overwhelming to see the emotions,&rdquo; Hager said. &ldquo;To see her succeed in such a race and enjoying all that &mdash; it's fun to watch.&rdquo;
Weeks after that final and the Swiss national championships, Sanchez&rsquo; season was derailed by a tendon injury in training. She still had the Swiss U20 championships ahead.
&ldquo;I think I&rsquo;ve learned to accept what happens,&rdquo; Sanchez said. &ldquo;In the beginning, when I had to deal with injuries, it was destroying me because I couldn&rsquo;t do what I loved anymore. I didn&rsquo;t like that feeling at all.&rdquo;
Now, she looks to grow during that time. She trains her mind. She&rsquo;s finishing high school &mdash; when she returned home in April 2026, it was for a week of finals. It&rsquo;s about taking the best out of the time, she said. It&rsquo;s about progress off the track.
She loves the electrifying stage. The World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 are next on her list, where the 100m hurdles final will come four days before her 19th birthday. That&rsquo;s where she wants to perform.
Guitar, though, will take more time. Hager has never heard her play, he says, but he&rsquo;s seen her run &mdash;&nbsp;and he knows how far that&rsquo;s taken her already. Wherever she lands, it&rsquo;ll be with a smile.
&ldquo;I'm just a really cheerful person and when I like to do something, I really get excited about it,&rdquo; Sanchez said. &ldquo;I'm just so happy and cheerful and dancing.&rdquo;

Before becoming a European U20 champion, Sanchez thrived as an artist. With the world stage up next, she’s reconnecting with music on the road to Eugene.

Swiss hurdler Jil Sanchez turns from dance and music to athletics

Single-session tickets for the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 go on sale Wednesday, 29 April, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Fans can purchase tickets at <a href="http://www.tracktowntickets.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.TrackTownTickets.com</a>, with tickets starting at just $15 USD.
All Session five-day ticket packages &ndash; starting at $75 USD &ndash; and Weekend Warrior three-day packages &ndash; starting at just $50 USD &ndash; are also available for purchase <a href="https://am.ticketmaster.com/haywardtrackandfield/buy?id=NDk5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HERE</a>.
The World Athletics U20 Championships return to <a href="https://hayward.uoregon.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hayward Field at the University of Oregon</a> from 5&ndash;9 August, welcoming more than 1,700 junior athletes from nearly 200 countries to compete on the global stage. For future Olympians, their path often goes through the World Athletics U20 Championships. The last iteration of the World Athletics U20 Championships was held in Lima, Peru, where more than 50 athletes from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games were eligible to compete.

Single-session tickets for the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon go on sale Wednesday, 29 April, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.

Single-Session Tickets for World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 On Sale 29 April

By Owen Murray
Does Jonathan Simms regret it? Was it the right call? Would he do it again?
He knew it was his last high school race &mdash; that&rsquo;s part of the reason he made his decision. Simms, a Nike Elite athlete with a commitment to the University of Georgia already declared, lined up for the Texas state 400m final. His injured leg wasn&rsquo;t relevant, not then, even if it would be a lap later.
&ldquo;At Texas regionals, I felt it a little bit,&rdquo; he remembers, a year later. He&rsquo;s talking about his hamstring. He took a couple of weeks off after qualifying at regionals.&nbsp;
Simms was back on the line at state. He didn&rsquo;t even get set for the gun before the train derailed. He was coming out of the blocks when he felt it pop. The damage ended up a grade one strain, he thinks, but he decided to run anyway.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m like, &lsquo;Whatever,&rsquo;&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I just got out there and finished the lap.&rdquo; He did, in 47.21.
Was it the right call? &ldquo;Probably not, but I don't regret it.&rdquo;
Would you do it again? &ldquo;I would do it again.&rdquo;
That&rsquo;s what the world needs to know about Jonathan Simms. In Athens, Georgia, he&rsquo;s racking up times (and national awards) as the newest phenom in the Bulldogs&rsquo; shed of 400m flashes. Simms put himself on the map with a 44.62-second world U20 record* in his NCAA debut, but behind the scenes, he&rsquo;s been building his case for a long time. It just took no regrets, a disregard for pressure and some help from a mad scientist, plus a trick from his dad to get it started.
Because your parents always know best.
Simms&rsquo; story started at a track in Texas &mdash; or, maybe more accurately, a few weeks before that. Jonathan didn't know yet that his father, Daryl, had run track at the University of Iowa. He just loved the Olympics. Simms was 7 years old when he told his dad that he wanted to go there one day.
&ldquo;Like, to watch,&rdquo; Jonathan clarifies now. Oh, you can go, Daryl told him. &ldquo;And so I was like, &lsquo;All right, bet.&rsquo; I thought we're going to the Olympics.&rdquo;
Then came the track, one day in the heat of the summer of 2014. Daryl told him that sure, he was going to the Olympics.
He was going to run there. It was going to start on that track.
Track didn&rsquo;t take over his life immediately. Jonathan spent almost a decade playing soccer &mdash; he was the stopper at the heart of the defensive line &mdash; at the same time as track. When he started to fall out of love with soccer, though, running stepped up. He didn&rsquo;t feel much pressure.
It was Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) sports that taught him that pressure isn&rsquo;t necessary. By the time he got through middle and high school, he&rsquo;d been running for years. When he went to practice &mdash;&nbsp;even to meets &mdash;&nbsp;the faces were familiar. The ones that weren&rsquo;t didn&rsquo;t have the same dedication that he did. Pressure wasn&rsquo;t an issue then. It isn&rsquo;t really now, either.
&ldquo;I got used to running for so much that even when things were getting more serious, as I was getting older and things were starting to look at college, and what times I need for college and on bigger stages like that, I was just used to running in general so I didn&rsquo;t feel so much pressure to get recruited for this or that,&rdquo; Simms said.
The first time it twinged, though, was at his sophomore year state meet. Lined up with the juniors and seniors, he just remembers a thought: Oh, wow.
That summer, he ran at the Brooks PR Invitational and Nike Outdoor Nationals. It&rsquo;s a specific type of pressure that he remembers from that summer&mdash; the type that comes from feeling inexperienced.
At that Brooks meet, he ran sub-46 (45.90) for the first time. Daryl bought him a rose gold chain. He still wears it, alongside the yellow gold chain from his mother, Kay McClelland. NON came with a 46.09 win.
Two years later, he lined up again at state. This time, he was the experienced one, and he&rsquo;d committed to Georgia in December 2024. It didn&rsquo;t matter that his hamstring wasn&rsquo;t having it: he was finishing his last lap at Allen.&nbsp;
The injury, though, did mandate weeks of rehab before he made it to Eugene for the USATF U20 Outdoor Championships. He remembers flashes from the 400m final there, too. He remembers feeling nervous, then getting out fast &mdash;&nbsp;but everyone was getting out fast. He remembers feeling strong. It was over quickly, in 45.44. He took home gold, with a new feeling.
&ldquo;It was the first time I ran when I felt strong like that,&rdquo; he said.
Pressure evolves. At Georgia, he&rsquo;s training with one of the nation&rsquo;s best 400m groups. Paris Olympian (and former Bulldog) Christopher Morales Williams is a frequent competitor, but Georgia athletes London Costen and Mohamed Adoini have 47-second times to their names already this season.
&ldquo;Especially here at college, I know everybody here is fast,&rdquo; Simms said. &ldquo;Nobody here is slow, so it's a real competition every time I run.&nbsp;
&ldquo;But I enjoy it.&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s the furthest he&rsquo;s ever been from home &mdash; he always lived within 45 minutes of the same place in Texas. In Georgia, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s different, but I like it,&rdquo; he said. Daryl and Kay still call before he runs. He tries to call at least once a week.
Simms has evolved too, under the man he calls alternatingly &ldquo;Sunshine and Rainbows&rdquo; and &ldquo;The Mad Scientist.&rdquo; Karim Abdel Wahab is an associate head coach at Georgia &mdash; he handles its sprinters and hurdlers. Simms is already all-in.
&ldquo;(Abdel Wahab) cares,&rdquo; Simms said. &ldquo;He invests a lot of time into it, and you can trust him &mdash;&nbsp;you can trust what he says. He makes it easy to trust him.&rdquo;
The first nickname comes from his positivity. The second comes from his ability to break down 400m races &ldquo;to a science&rdquo; (Simms&rsquo; words). Proficiency happens in three steps, Abdel Wahab says.
1. Put in the conditioning. Put in the technical work. This happens in the fall.
Abdel Wahab says that it&rsquo;s Simms&rsquo; comprehension that keys his ability to improve at rapid pace. It&rsquo;s something he can&rsquo;t coach, he says &mdash; maybe it&rsquo;s the ability that Simms picked up as a mechanical engineering major, but it might be something else, Abdel Wahab says, that allows him to garner and implement so much information. Abdel Wahab puts it down to the &ldquo;obsession of mastering his craft.&rdquo; Simms describes the process as &ldquo;fine tuning.&rdquo;
2. Put the race together (that&rsquo;s what Simms did at Clemson)
Before the Clemson Invitational on Jan. 10, Simms and Abdel Wahab met multiple times to talk about the plan for his debut. On the table was race strategy, down to different split models and how he could execute them, but also how each 100m split should feel. Simms soaked it all in. In South Carolina, his NCAA debut ended with a world U20 record time: 44.62, and nobody close. But there&rsquo;s one more step.
3. Put the race together under elite competition and pressure
Two weeks later, Simms raced Morales Williams at the Razorback Invitational. He came second, in 45.04 (at the same meet, he split 44.32 in Georgia&rsquo;s 4x400m race). Abdel Wahab told Simms he&rsquo;s &ldquo;so happy&rdquo; they raced each other &mdash;&nbsp;it&rsquo;s a race that they can get in the lab with and pick apart. He gets to fix flaws way before (he hopes) toeing the line at the NCAA Championships. More obsession. More fine tuning. Less pressure.
When Simms talks about why he picked his sport, he&rsquo;s not always sure &mdash;&ldquo;I don't know,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I just love track.&rdquo; Some of it is the opportunity it provides him to push himself. He doesn&rsquo;t like letting others down &mdash; that&rsquo;s why he doesn&rsquo;t love team sports. In track, with a bad race, he says that he&rsquo;s not letting anyone down but himself. He runs to spread his faith, too &mdash; &ldquo;That&rsquo;s my whole purpose in running track,&rdquo; Simms said. It&rsquo;s what he wants to use his new platform for. That stage is only growing, and success is measured in little things, like the day he&rsquo;ll buy himself a white gold chain to complete his set.
In Georgia, the pressure switch is flicked off.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a young man,&rdquo; Abdel Wahab said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re not putting any pressure on him.&rdquo;
They don&rsquo;t have numbers for him, the coach says. They&rsquo;re watching him race, against Morales Williams and the best in the NCAA, and taking notes. His career isn&rsquo;t one to be measured in numbers yet. Simms is getting comfortable. Maybe the pressure will evolve there, too. After all, it happened in high school. Why not in college?
There&rsquo;s something Abdel Wahab does want to measure in, though. It&rsquo;s something that Simms has been getting ready for for a while. It started on a track in Texas, with his dad and some wordplay. It&rsquo;ll end in Los Angeles, or maybe in Brisbane.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re thinking about Olympic Games,&rdquo; the Mad Scientist says.
*pending ratification by World Athletics

What’s driving University of Georgia 400m phenom Jonathan Simms’ rise? The teenager ran a U20 world record time this winter. His road from Texas to Georgia is loaded with unique comprehension, a mad scientist, and a trick from his dad.

What’s driving University of Georgia 400m phenom Jonathan Simms’ rise?

Tickets for the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 are now available for purchase. Fans can buy tickets at <a href="http://www.tracktowntickets.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TrackTownTickets.com</a>, with five-day packages starting at just US$75.00 and three-day weekend packages starting at US$50.00.
The World Athletics U20 Championships return to <a href="https://hayward.uoregon.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hayward Field at the University of Oregon</a> from 5-9 August, welcoming more than 1,700 junior athletes from nearly 200 countries to compete on the global stage.
For future Olympians, their path often goes through the World Athletics U20 Championships. The last iteration of the World Athletics U20 Championships was held in Lima, Peru, where more than 50 athletes from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games were eligible to compete.
&nbsp;
<a href="https://am.ticketmaster.com/haywardtrackandfield/buy?id=NDk5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/699ede6ff478bd78049cc1b7.png" alt="Tickets for World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 Now On Sale" /></a>
<div>
&nbsp;
</div>

The World Athletics U20 Championships return to Hayward Field at the University of Oregon from 5-9 August, welcoming more than 1,700 junior athletes from nearly 200 countries to compete on the global stage.

Tickets for World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 now on sale

<div style="background-color: black !important; color: white !important; width: 100%;">
<div style="max-width: 1400px; margin: auto;">
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<h1 style="text-align: center; color: #96f460;">WORLD ATHLETICS U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS OREGON 26</h1>
&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: center;">HAYWARD FIELD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON</h2>
&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: center; color: #96f460;"><a href="https://am.ticketmaster.com/haywardtrackandfield/buy?id=NDk5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TICKETS ON SALE NOW</a></h2>
&nbsp;
The future of track &amp; field takes center stage as the world&rsquo;s top rising stars battle for gold at the 21st edition of the World Athletics U20 Championships on 5&ndash;9 August 2026.
&nbsp;
Oregon previously hosted the World Athletics Championships in 2022 and the World U20 Championships in 2014.
&nbsp;
<a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://identity.worldathletics.org/registration?source=eugene26&amp;tag=eugene26">Register for World Athletics+</a> email communications to be first to know about event news, ticket, and timetable information.
&nbsp;
</div>
</div>

Latest News

Hayward Field at the University of Oregon

Timetable

Qualification system and entry standards

Documents

5–9 August 2026

World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26

Card holding the aces ahead of Oregon

World U20 leaders Douglas and Card head Jamaican team for Oregon

Forty years since the World Athletics U20 Championships began

Jaslene Massey wants ‘all the smoke’

Athletes Connect to empower athletes at World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26