Overnight leader Maria Vicente knew she had to extend her lead in the first heptathlon event of the second day if she was going to challenge for the gold medal.

The girls’ heptathlon started in similar fashion to the boys’ decathlon two days prior: with one of Germany’s medal hopes picking up an injury in the second discipline.

A new generation of heptathletes has emerged in recent years.

With an astonishing comeback on the second day of competition, Switzerland’s Geraldine Ruckstuhl moved from sixth to first and set a championship record of 6037 points to take gold in a thrilling finale to the girls’ heptathlon at the IAAF World Youth Championships, Cali 2015 on Saturday night (18).

Cuba’s Adriana Rodriguez produced two personal bests on day one of the girls’ heptathlon on Friday (17) to lead the field overnight, the 16-year-old leaving pre-event favourites Alina Shukh of Ukraine and Sarah Lagger of Austria with considerable work to do on the second day of the event at the IAAF World Championships, Cali 2015.

After a thrilling end to the decathlon on Thursday, it was the turn of the girls’ combined event exponents to start going through their paces at the IAAF World Youth Championships, Cali 2015 and, slightly surprisingly, it was Germany’s Lisa Maihofer who led the way after two events in the heptathlon on Friday morning (17).

If previous form is to be believed, then the girls’ heptathlon should come down to a head-to-head duel between world youth leaders Ukraine’s Alina Shukh and Austria’s Sarah Lagger.