Prestina Oluchi Ochonogor competes in long jump qualification at WU20 Lima 24 (© Enzo Santos Barreiro)
Action at the World Athletics U20 Championships Lima 24, featuring 1700 athletes from more than 130 teams, continues on Wednesday (28).
Here are three things to keep an eye on at the Estadio Atletico de la Videna.
100m spotlight
Five finals will be contested on the second day of competition in Lima and the evening session will conclude with epic back-to-back finals of the women’s and men’s 100m.
On the women’s side, expect a close battle between Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands and Alana Reid of Jamaica. Both athletes appeared comfortable and confident in the heats, with Hodge leading all qualifiers (11.45) and Reid just behind her (11.46).
Hodge and Reid bring global experience to the table which could strengthen their title hopes. Britain’s Nia Wedderburn-Goodison was the only other athlete in the heats to run under 11.50 with her 11.47; she will be aiming to fight for a spot on the podium.
Men’s favorite Bradley Nkoana of South Africa will be looking to make good on the title of fastest man in the field. He is undoubtedly the athlete to beat with a personal best of 10.03 and a silver medal from the 4x100m at the Paris Olympics. Nkoana led the qualifiers in the heats with his time of 10.27.
Also running 10.27 was Japan’s Naoki Nishioka, who looked strong and composed in the first round. Nkoana’s compatriot Bayanda Walaza will hope to join him on the podium after a 10.28 in the heats. Pre-race headliners He Jinxian of China, Gary Card of Jamaica and Puripol Boonson of Thailand could also be in the mix.
WU20 Lima 24 sprint events preview
Heptathlon heroes
Keep an eye on the incredible athletes in the women’s heptathlon, who will finish their seven disciplines across two days of competition.
There was drama right from the beginning with podium favourite Sarolta Kriszt of Hungary getting disqualified in the first event by crashing out of the 100m hurdles.
Jana Koscak of Croatia remains the overall favourite and could be on track for an impressive points total if she continues her form across the rest of the events.
Behind Koscak’s dominance, Adela Tkacova of Czechia, Lucia Acklin of Switzerland and Alina Chistyakova of Kazakhstan will all likely be looking to challenge for medal positions.
WU20 Lima 24 combined events preview
Long jump redemption
An unusual qualification round in the women’s long jump will make for an interesting and potentially unexpected final. No athlete achieved the automatic qualification mark of 6.40m, which was surprising given the personal bests of the jumpers competing. Advancement to the final came down to a descending order of first round performances.
Spain’s Laura Martinez led all qualifiers with her season’s best mark of 6.36m (the only season’s best in the field) and will hope to carry that form over into the final. Her PB of 6.46m was achieved in 2023.
Favourites Prestina Oluchi Ochonogor (6.28m) of Nigeria and Sophia Beckmon of the United States (6.16m) also advanced but will be looking for redemption in the final. They each come into the competition with strong personal bests of 6.79m and 6.86m, respectively, both set in 2024.
WU20 Lima 24 jumps events preview
Jessi Gabriel for World Athletics
