Kiprono and Deleon break championship records in Oregon

• Emmanuel Kiprono threatens world U20 3000m record
• Jayden Deleon pips Quincy Wilson to 400m title
• Almaz Yohannis and Wosane Asefa secure steeplechase 1-2 for Ethiopia

Championship records were set by Emmanuel Kiprono and Jayden Deleon on the third evening of the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 on Friday (7). 

Kenya’s Kiprono stole the show in a 3000m full of lifetime bests, setting a championship record and moving to second on the world U20 all-time list with 7:28.28. He was just 0.09 off the world U20 record set by Yomif Kejelcha – now the senior world record-holder in the 10km and half marathon – in Paris in 2016.

Some 20 seconds later, France's Alois Abraham finished second to clinch silver in 7:47.79. The bronze medal went to Ojiro Honda, setting a Japanese U20 record of 7:48.49. 

The next eight finishers all set PBs, including Chien Tzu-Chieh who ran a national U20 record of 7:51.18 for Chinese Taipei, finishing sixth.

Kiprono had been determined to go for gold after getting U20 silver at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee in January.

“I went back to training, did well, and got a chance to represent Kenya at the World Championships. I am so excited that it worked for me today and I won the gold medal,” he said. “When I woke up this morning, I was feeling so good and I knew something special was coming. I am going to train and prepare for the 2028 Olympics.”

Deleon wins at Hayward again

USA’s Deleon also set a championship record, running 44.47 to win the 400m and once again gain victory over Olympian Quincy Wilson. Just two months ago, the pair respectively finished first and second at the US U20 Championships on the same track. 

Wilson improved to a season's best of 44.62 on Friday, but it wasn't enough to get revenge on Deleon. South African U20 record-holder Leendert Koekemoer became the fourth man from his country to reach the 400m podium during the past four World U20 Championships, clocking 44.96 to continue his country's impressive dynasty in the discipline.

Ethiopia shows up big in the steeplechase

The Ethiopian duo of Almaz Yohannis and Wosane Asefa proved their country's dominance in the steeplechase. The winning time of 9:15.81 by Yohannis is a world U20 lead and it moves her to eighth on the world U20 all-time list. 

Asefa ran a season's best of 9:30.50 for silver and Kenya's Anatasha Cheptoo took home bronze, running 9:37.18. Unfortunately, her teammate Mercy Chepngeno Koskey, who was in fourth place, fell at the water jump on the penultimate lap and needed medical assistance. Sweden's Majken Söderlund Larsson and Czechia's Ema Berková both set national records, running 9:48.01 and 9:49.06 to finish fourth and fifth, respectively.

Kuś digs deep

Poland's Anastazja Kuś upset US favourite Ataja Stephane-Vasquez in the final 100m to take home 400m gold and set a national U20 record, breaking a 13-year-old mark set by Patrycja Wyciszkiewicz at the European U20 Championships in Italy. Kuś’ 51.06 was the first time she dipped under 52 seconds in this competition, and it came at the perfect moment.

Stephane-Vasquez got silver for USA in 51.36. Tianna Springer became the second athlete from Guyana to ever claim a medal at the World U20 Championships. The first was also won in the women’s 400m, in 2012.

Records fall in 110m hurdles semifinals

Two area U20 records and two national U20 records were set in the semifinals of the 110m hurdles. Running faster than all of them was USA's Le'ezra Brown, who ran a wind-assisted 12.82 (2.7m/s) after clocking a North American record of 12.89 in the heats, but he clutched his left calf as he walked off the track. 

Japan's Jeremy Koga posted the only other sub-13 time – 12.90 to win his semifinal and set an Asian U20 record. He was closely followed by USA’s Zacchaeus Brocks, who clocked 13.00. Anthony Johnsen ran a Norwegian U20 record of 13.07, while Jahcario Wilson clocked a Bahamian U20 record of 13.17 and Brazil's Odair Goncalves ran a 13.19 South American U20 record.

Among the top qualifiers for the 100m hurdles final were South Africa's Tumi Ramokgopa, who ran 13.02 in heat two, and Jamaica's Tiana Marshall, who matched that time in heat one. Switzerland's Jil Sanchez followed closely at 13.07. In heat three, Germany's Daryl Ndasi ran a PB of 13.10 to advance. US athletes Madeline Cooper and Tori Goodson also qualified for the final.

USA's Paige Sheppard led the way in the women's 800m semifinals, running 2:01.97. Shaikira King, Ioulianna Roussou and Habtam Gebeyehu were the next three athletes to run sub-2:03. Ethiopia's Derartu Shibiru ran a PB of 2:03.41, and a diving finish from Poland's Roza Olchawa also secured her a spot in the final.

Three lifetime bests were set in the top four spots of the men's 800m semifinals. Kenya's Nashon Pkiach ran the sole sub-1:46, a PB of 1:45.82. Uganda's Shafeck Murungi won his own semifinal in 1:46.41 and Spain's Alejandro Rios crossed the line looking up to the sky, clocking 1:46.66. Morocco's Imad Bouchajda, Slovenia's Benjamin Lakošeljac and Kenya's Collins Tajewou were among the other top qualifiers.

200m finals are set

Every qualifier for the men's 200m final ran sub-21 in the semifinals. USA’s world U20 100m champion Tate Taylor (20.34) and Blake Hamilton (20.38) cruised to semifinal wins. Jayden Green was second behind Hamilton in 20.46, becoming the second Barbadian athlete to ever qualify for a world U20 200m final. Trinidad and Tobago's Makaelan Isiah Randall Woods ran a PB of 20.47, Japan's Tomoro Ide clocked 20.63 and Portugal's Pedro Afonso set a national U20 record of 20.66. Jamaica's Gary Card also advanced, setting up a rematch against Tate Taylor after his silver-medal finish behind the US sprinter in the 100m.

Jamaica and the USA flexed their might in the women's 200m semifinals. Jamaica's world leader Shanoya Douglas came in first in 22.53. The Maxwell twins, Mariah and Mia, were not far behind, respectively running 22.78 and 22.87. Jamaica's Sashana Johnson ran a PB of 22.92, slotting her into fourth place overall in the semifinals. Margherita Castellani continued the young Italian sprinting showcase, setting a national U20 record of 22.99 at just 17 years old.

Colin Ernst for the World Athletics Media Academy