Action from the men's 4x400m in Oregon (© Getty Images)
The final day of the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 promises a busy finish to five days of competition at Hayward Field, with relay teams battling for medals and more individual titles to be decided.
Here are some of the events to watch as the championships draw to a close.
Relays take centre stage
The USA head into the men’s 4x100m final after clocking the fastest time in the opening round, setting a season’s best of 38.87. Switzerland followed with a national U20 record of 39.32, while defending champions Jamaica also progressed with a season’s best of 39.51.
With several teams separated by relatively small margins, Jamaica will face a tough challenge as they look to retain the title they won in Lima two years ago.
Australia produced the fastest performance of the opening round of the women’s 4x100m, setting an area U20 record of 43.44.
Jamaica followed closely with a season’s best of 43.61 as they continue their pursuit of a fourth successive world U20 title in this event. Nigeria ran 43.65, the USA clocked 43.67 and Switzerland 43.99, setting up what should be a closely contested final.
The USA came to Oregon seeking a third successive men’s 4x400m title and showed their strength in the opening round, leading the qualifiers with a world U20-leading 3:04.55.
South Africa were not far behind, setting a season’s best of 3:05.08, while Jamaica ran 3:06.44 and Australia 3:07.04 – also season’s bests – to book their places in the final.
The defending champion USA team also led the way in the women’s 4x400m, clocking 3:32.66 in the opening round.
Italy set a national U20 record of 3:33.63, with Australia close behind in 3:33.68 and Great Britain and Northern Ireland running 3:33.82. With little more than a second separating those four teams, the final could produce a close battle for the medals.
Discus rivals ready for final showdown
The men’s discus final should also provide plenty of competition after several athletes produced their best performances in Saturday’s qualification round.
Austria’s Stefan Gaisbauer led qualifying with a PB of 63.11m, while Italy’s Francesco D’Angelo was close behind after improving his own best to 62.63m.
Jamaica’s NACAC U23 champion Joseph Richard Salmon qualified with 62.10m but heads into the final with the best PB in the field at 67.55m. If he can get close to that mark, he should be firmly in contention for gold.
Fine margins in 400m hurdles finals
Mariam Kareem produced the fastest performance of the women’s 400m hurdles semi-finals, lowering her United Arab Emirates U20 record to 56.39.
South African champion Tumi Ramokgopa and Germany’s Rebekka Feirle could provide strong opposition after both clocked 56.80 in the same semi-final, with Feirle setting a PB. Romania’s Alexandra Ștefania Uță was also impressive, winning her semi-final in 56.87.
With less than half a second separating the four fastest qualifiers, the medals remain very much up for grabs.
The men’s 400m hurdles also looks set to produce a competitive final.
Japan’s Taiju Goto was fastest in the semi-finals, clocking 49.19, while USA’s Miller Warme was next quickest with 49.48. South Africa’s Matodzi Ndou followed with 49.66 and Czechia’s Michal Rada, the world U20 silver medallist in Lima two years ago, won his semi-final in 49.67.
With all four heading into the final in strong form, another close contest looks likely.
WU20 Oregon 26 hurdles preview
Sandra Vasquez-Ramirez for the World Athletics Media Academy
