Enni Virjonen at the European U20 Championships (© Getty Images)
Versatility and endurance will be put to the test when the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 takes place in Eugene from 5-9 August.
Here we take a look at the women’s heptathlon, men’s decathlon and women’s and men’s 5000m race walks.
Women’s heptathlon
Finnish athletes have enjoyed considerable success in the heptathlon at the international age-group level in recent years, and that looks set to continue in Eugene.
Following Saga Vanninen’s victories in 2021 and 2022, Enni Virjonen hopes to return the world U20 heptathlon title to Finnish hands. The European U20 bronze medallist, who also won the European U18 title in 2024, heads the world U20 lists this year after scoring a PB of 6189 in Götzis in May.
Estonia’s Mia Mireia Uusorg is just 90 points behind on season’s bests, having improved to 6099 in Valmiera on the same weekend. Portugal’s Natacha Candé is next on the entry list with 5914, while Uusorg’s teammate Annika Põlluaas has scored 5859.
Great Britain’s Thea Brown, who finished runner-up to Virjonen at the 2024 European U18 Championships, adds further depth to the field and arrives with a PB of 5738.
Men’s decathlon
Sweden’s Liam Belo da Silva leads the entries after scoring a PB of 7981 this year. The European U18 silver medallist is followed by France’s Mael-Bephassou Lannurien, who has improved to 7785.
South Africa’s Daniel von der Heyden and Greece’s Nikolaos Kosmopoulos are separated by just six points on season’s bests, having scored 7614 and 7608 respectively.
US teammates Brody Foster and Darius Jones will return to the track where they finished first and second at the US U20 Championships in June. Foster won with 7604, with Jones second on 7547, while Great Britain’s Samuel Newton is also among the leading contenders with 7531.
Women’s 5000m race walk
Serena Di Fabio heads the women’s field by almost a minute after clocking 20:42.74 at the Italian U20 Championships in Caorle in July – the fastest time by an U20 athlete since 2007.
Yang Yutong, who finished 10 seconds ahead of Di Fabio in the U20 race at the World Race Walking Team Championships earlier this year, will start as another strong contender, along with Chinese teammate Sun Xiaoxue.
France’s Chloe Le Roch is the next-fastest entrant with 21:41.80, while Tunisia’s Imen Saii has set an African U20 best of 22:00.00. Australia’s Zoe Woods, Italy’s Beatrice Palmonari and Ethiopia’s Hiwot Ambaw are also likely challengers, as are Japanese duo Hiromi Tabata and Ibuki Hori.
Men’s 5000m race walk
India’s Nitin Gupta heads the men’s entries by more than half a minute after clocking a world U20 best of 18:54.37 in Bengaluru in April. But the 18-year-old may not have it all his own way in Eugene.
The dominant nature of Pu Huajia’s victory in the U20 men’s race at the World Race Walking Team Championships in Brasilia – where he won by 49 seconds – suggests the Chinese race walker will be a major threat.
Australia’s Isaac Beacroft, winner of the U20 race at the 2024 World Race Walking Team Championships, is fresh from a victory over 10,000m at the Commonwealth Games, where he finished ahead of elite senior internationals.
Peru’s José Duvan Ccoscco Sueldo set a South American U20 best of 19:27.12 last month. Italy’s Alessio Coppola, who finished third behind Pu and Beacroft at the World Race Walking Team Championships, has achieved an indoor best of 19:30.77.
Mexico’s Emiliano Barba, silver medallist in Lima two years ago, will be hoping to at least match that achievement.
Morgan Hoopes for the World Athletics Media Academy
