Le'Ezra Brown equals the world U20 110m hurdles record in Oregon (© Getty Images)
- Le'Ezra Brown matches world U20 110m hurdles record
- Tate Taylor runs championship record to claim sprint double
- Italy set world U20 mixed 4x100m record in electric final
USA’s Le'Ezra Brown equalled the world U20 110m hurdles record* and Italy improved the world U20 mixed 4x100m record* at the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 on Saturday (8).
During an action-packed penultimate session, USA’s Tate Taylor completed a sprint double by winning the 200m in a championship record of 19.83.
The spotlight was on Brown in the 110m hurdles and he ran a blazing 12.72 to equal Sasha Zhoya’s world U20 record set when the French athlete won the 2021 world U20 title in Nairobi. Brown started quickly and finished strongly to win gold ahead of Japan’s Jeremy Koga (12.97) and USA’s Zacchaeus Brocks, who equalled his PB of 12.98.
Brown’s 12.72 followed his North American U20 record of 12.89 in the heats and his wind-aided 12.82 in the semifinals. His historic performance saw him beat a field that set four national U20 records. Norway’s Anthony Johnsen (13.00) and Bahamas’ Jahcario Wilson (13.08) both ran national U20 records to place fourth and fifth, respectively. Following them was Brazil’s Odair Goncalves in an area record (13.15) and Koray Uygun in a Turkish U20 record (13.20).
“It is crazy. I felt it in my warmup. I did one acceleration and my coach told me I was ready,” said Brown. “I was running good and I just knew it was going to happen. It is big, we have been talking about this for some time. I want to be a national champion and be running at LA 28.”
Taylor completes sprint double
USA’s Taylor achieved the fifth men’s 100m and 200m double in the history of the World U20 Championships, setting a championship record of 19.83 to win the 200m.
He closed fast, pulling away over the last 100m. Taylor’s compatriot Blake Hamilton went stride for stride with Taylor for the first 100m and held on to finish second in 20.31, clinching a US top two.
NACAC U23 Champion Jayden Green took home bronze for Barbados in 20.55, edging out Trinidad and Tobago’s Makaelan Woods by 0.03. Japan’s Tomoro Ide was fifth in 20.67 and Jamaica’s Gary Card, the 100m silver medallist, finished sixth in 20.74 .
“It means a lot,” said Taylor. “I am super proud of myself and this team and the guy next to me (Blake Hamilton).”
Hamilton said: “Second in the world is something not a lot of people can say. Also running next to Tate is something not a lot of people can say.”
Italy break record to claim gold in inaugural mixed 4x100m
Italy started a thrilling night of finals off with a bang, setting a world U20 record to win the inaugural world U20 mixed 4x100m final.
Edwin Fermin Galvan, Elisa Valensin, Francesco Pagliarini and Kelly Doualla combined to run 41.21 to break the world U20 record of 41.60 set by Great Britain & NI in the heats. That had beaten the world U20 record of 41.64 set by Australia in the first heat, as the event made its debut at the World U20 Championships.
Great Britain placed second in the final in 41.38 – a time that beat their previous record from day two in Oregon. The United States were third, just 0.01 behind Great Britain.
Bouchajda narrowly defeats Williams in tightly contested 800m
Imad Bouchajda won Morocco a first ever world U20 800m title in front of a fired up Hayward crowd. After a well-judged race, Bouchajda crossed the line in 1:44.64 to narrowly beat Australia’s Daniel Williams (1:45.36).
Spain’s Alejandro Rios finished strongly to claim the bronze in 1:46.25. Uganda’s Shafeck Murungi stormed away from the field in the opening stages but he ran out of steam in the second half and finished eighth.
Favourites cruise into 400m hurdles final
Asian U20 champion Taiju Goto didn’t miss a beat in the 400m hurdles semifinals, running 49.19 to win his heat and punch his ticket into the final. Czechia's Michal Rada, the 2024 world U20 silver medallist, cruised to a 49.48 heat win and USA’s Miller Warme ran a 49.48 to win another heat. South African U20 record-holder Matodzi Ndou also comfortably qualified, running the third-fastest time of the round. US U20 winner Keenan Davis also advanced to the final.
Owen Bogert for the World Athletics Media Academy
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure
