Competition kicks off on busy first morning in Oregon
The world’s leading teenage athletes made some early statements as the World Athletics Under20 Championships Oregon 26 kicked off at Hayward Field on Wednesday.
The mixed 4x400m got off to an electric start, with several national Under-20 records set and a world Under-20 lead achieved. The US quartet of Joshua Shelton, Natalie Dumas, Jaelen Hunter and Olivia Harris led the way, clocking 3:18.26 for the fourth-fastest Under-20 performance in history.
They cruised through to tonight’s final, where they will be joined by Australia, who clocked 3:19.59 to finish second in that heat, and Spain (3:21.90).
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Great Britain & NI, Poland and Czechia raced to qualification places in the first heat, Great Britain utilising a strong anchor leg from Noa Chodokufa to move from third to first in 3:21.27 and Czechia improving the national Under-20 record by almost two seconds to 3:21.58.
Jamaica won the second heat in 3:21.47 ahead of South Africa and Colombia, respectively setting national Under-20 records of 3:22.12 and 3:22.14 to also qualify for the final.
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