KASARANI, KENYA, August 18-22 — No athlete created a bigger stir at the World Junior (U20) Championships than French hurdler Sasha Zhoya, who twice slammed the WJR for the 39” (i.e. high school) high hurdles. After a 13.12 warmup in the heats, he ripped his semi in 12.93, breaking the WJR of 12.99 set in ’14 by France’s Wilhem Belocian and tied by Jamaican Damion Thomas 4 years later.
That set the stage for a knockout final. Helped along by a 1.0 wind (and a not insubstantial 1607m of altitude in this Nairobi suburb), the 19-year-old phenom zipped through the race in 12.72 — despite clipping the sixth barrier, leaving the field more than a half-second behind. “It’s the quickest time on any hurdle height and that makes me really happy,” he said. “Now all I need to do is to replicate my Junior performance in the Senior category as I make the transition.”
The hyper-talented Zhoya has quite the background, being the child of a Zimbabwean father and French mother and grew up in Australia, where he still spends about half the year. Earlier in his career he was considered to be a budding pole vault star. He still owns the world age-14 best at 16-1¾ (4.92) and for a while held the World Youth (U18) Record at 18-2¾ (5.56).
With multiple key nations kept away by C19 considerations — including the U.S., Australia, Canada, Germany and Great Britain — the hosts dominated the medal count, with 8 golds and 16 overall. Finland and Nigeria scored 4 golds apiece, while in the total count Ethiopia (12) and Jamaica (11) were the only others to score in double digits.
The shortest relay produced a pair of records. The Jamaican women, with 100 winner Tina Clayton running second, covered a lap in 42.94 to knock 0.33 off Germany’s ’17 mark. In the men’s race, the ’19 WJR of 38.62 held by the U.S. saw both South Africa (38.51) and Jamaica (38.61) slip under.
A sizzling 400 race featured Botswana’s Antony Pesela moving to No. 2 all-time Junior with his 44.58, with Mexican Luis Avilés running 44.95. Over twice the distance, Kenyan 17-year-old Emmanuel Wanyonyi became No. 10 Junior all-time with his 1:43.76.
In the 200, after a 20.13 wind-aided semi, Stanford-bound Udodi Onwuzurike won the gold for Nigeria in 20.21. That moves the Michigan prep to No. 6 among high schoolers all-time.
The discus saw Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna, son of a certain Olympic champion, win with the No. 2 throw ever, 229-0 (69.81). Jamaican Ralford Mullings (218-9/66.68) moved to No. 9 ever. Czech decathlete Frantisek Doubel tallied 8169 (Junior implements, of course) to move to No. 6 all-time and top Belgian Jente Hauttekeete’s 8053.
Namibia made a stir on the women’s side, with Olympic silver medalist Christine Mboma narrowly missing her WJR with a 21.84 as teammate Beatrice Masilingi ran 2nd in 22.18. Masilingi had previously took 2nd in the 100 to Clayton, 11.09 to 11.39. Then in the 4×1, the two helped Namibia take 2nd in 43.76, with organizers reporting a 9.86 anchor for Mboma (timing methodology unknown).
In the 100H, Baylor’s NCAA Indoor champion, Ackera Nugent, won in 12.95 for Jamaica. In the horizontal jumps, Sweden’s Maja Åskag hit double gold, first taking the triple with a 45-1½ (13.75) then coming back two days later with a 21-8 (6.60) that won by a centimeter.
WORLD JUNIOR MEDALISTS
(altitude 1607; athletes born ’02 or later; men use Junior hurdles and throwing implements)
100(-0.2): 1. Letsile Tebogo (Bot) 10.19; 2. Benji Richardson (SA) 10.28; 3. Shainer Reginfo (Cub) 10.32.
00(0.5): 1. Udodi Onwuzurike (Ngr-MiHS) 20.21 PR; 2. Tebogo20.38; 3. Sinesipho Dambile (SA) 20.48.
400: 1. Antony Pesela (Bot) 44.58 PR (2, 7 WJ); 2. Luis Avilés (Mex) 44.95 PR (10, x WJ);
3. Matt Nortje (SA) 45.32 PR.
800: 1. Emmanuel Wanyonyi (Ken–17) 1:43.76 PR (10, x WJ);
2. Mohamed Ali Gouaned (Alg) 1:44.45 PR; 3. Noah Kibet (Ken) 1:44.88 PR.
1500: 1. Vincent Keter (Ken) 3:37.24; 2. Wegene Addisu (Eth) 3:37.86; 3. Melkeneh Azeze (Eth) 3:40.22.
St: 1. Amos Serem (Ken) 8:30.72; 2. Takele Bikila Tadese (Eth) 8:33.15; 3. Simon Kiprop Koech (Ken) 8:34.79.
3000: 1. Tadese Worku (Eth) 7:42.09; 2. Ali Abdulmena (Eth) 7:44.55 PR; 3. Samuel Habtom (Eri) 7:52.69 PR.
5000: 1. Benson Kiplangat (Ken) 13:20.37 PR; 2. Worku 13:20.65; 3. Levy Kibet (Ken) 13:26.01 PR.
110H(1.0): 1. Sasha Zhoya (Fra) 12.72 WJR (old WJR Zhoya 12.93 in semis);
2. Vashaun Vascianna (Jam) 13.25; 3. Jakub Szymański (Pol) 13.43 =PR.
Heats: III(0.3)–1. Zhoya 13.12 (x, =10 WJ).
Semis: II(-0.4)–1. Zhoya 12.93 WJR (old WJR 12.99 Wilhem Belocian [Fra] ’14 & Damion Thomas [Jam] ’18).
400H: 1. Berke Akçam (Tur) 49.38 PR; 2. Denis Novoseltsev (Rus) 49.62 PR; 3. Devontie Archer (Jam) 49.78 PR.
10,000W: 1. Heristone Wanyonyi (Ken) 42:10.84 PR; 2. Amit Khatri (Ind) 42:17.94; 3. Paul McGrath (Spa) 42:26.11 PR.
4 x 100: 1. South Africa 38.51 WJR (old WJR 38.62 United States ’19) (Xotyeni, Dambile, Moleyane, Richardson);
2. Jamaica 38.61 NJR (2 W) (Monfries, Levell, Gilipps, Davison); 3. Poland 38.90 NJR (8 W) (Łuczyński, Krupa, Pietrusa, Wdowik).
Heats: I–1. Poland 38.93 NJR (=7 WJ) (#2 nation).
4 x 400: 1. Botswana 3:05.22 (Kebinatshipi 47.65, Pesela 44.86, Masede 46.97, Majama 45.74); 2. Jamaica 3:05.76 (Johnson, Bembridge, Hamm, Archer); 3. Kenya 3:05.94 (Wanyonyi, Kiprotich, Kimeu, Githome).
Field Events
HJ: 1. Jonathan Kapitolnik (Isr) 7-5 (2.26) PR; 2. Massimiliano Luiu (Ita) 7-1½ (2.17) PR; 3. Mateusz Kołodziejski (Pol) 7-1½).
PV: 1. Matvey Volkov (Blr) 17-10½ (5.45); 2. Juho Alasaari (Fin) 17-6½ (5.35); 3. Kyle Rademeyer (SA) 17-4½ (5.30).
LJ: 1. Erwan Konate (Fra) 26-7¾ (8.12) PR; 2. Jhon Andres Berrio (Col) 26-1¾ (7.97) =NR; 3. Kavion Kerr (Jam) 25-11 (7.90) PR.
TJ: 1. Gabriel Wallmark (Swe) 53-11 (16.43) PR; 2. Jaydon Hibbert (Jam) 52-8 (16.05) PR; 3. Simon Gore (Fra) 52-0 (15.85) PR.
SP: 1. Juan C. Vázquez (Cub) 64-8¾ (19.73); 2. Yauheni Brihi (Blr) 64-7¾ (19.70) PR; 3. Jephté Vogel (Swi) 62-10½ (19.16).
DT: 1. Mykolas Alekna (Lit) 229-0 (69.81) PR (2, 2 WJ) (229-0, f, 224-10, 222-0 [x, 6 WJ], 220-2, 218-0) (69.81, f, 68.52, 67.67, 67.10, 66.46); 2. Ralford Mullings (Jam) 218-9 (66.68) PR (9, x WJ);
3. Raman Khartanovich (Blr) 204-0 (62.19) PR.
HT: 1. Jan Doležálek (CzR) 255-4 (77.83) PR; 2. Oréstis Dousákis (Gre) 255-2 (77.78); 3. Jean-Baptiste Bruxelle (Fra) 254-11 (77.70).
JT: 1. Janne Läspä (Fin) 250-10 (76.46); 2. Artur Felfner (Ukr) 250-5 (76.32); 3. Nnadi Chinecherem (Ngr) 244-4 (74.48).
Dec: 1. Frantisek Doubek (CzR) 8169 (6, 6 WJ) (10.93, 23-7¼/7.19, 49-1/14.96, 6-5½/1.97, 48.72, 14.10, 150-1/45.74, 15-9/4.80, 210-1/64.03, 4:52.39);
2. Jente Hauttekeete (Bel) 8053; 3. Jose San Pastor (Spa) 7430.
WORLD JUNIOR WOMEN’S MEDALISTS
100(-0.6): 1. Tina Clayton (Jam) 11.09 PR; 2. Beatrice Masilingi (Nam) 11.39; 3. Mélissa Gutschmidt (Swi) 11.51.
200(1.1): 1. Christine Mboma (Nam) 21.84 (x, 2 WJ);
2. Masilingi 22.18 PR (=4, =7 WJ);
3. Favour Ofili (Ngr) 22.23 PR.
Semis: II(1.3)–1. Masilingi 22.19 PR (=4, =7 WJ).
400: 1. Imeobong Nse Uko (Ngr) 51.55 PR; 2. Kornelia Lesiewicz (Pol) 51.97 PR; 3. Sylvia Chelangat (Ken) 52.23 PR.
800: 1. Ayal Dagnachew (Eth) 2:02.96; 2. Valentina Rosamilia (Swi) 2:04.29; 3. Élli-Eftihía Deliyiánni (Gre) 2:04.66.
1500: 1. Gladys Chepkirui (Ken) 4:16.07; 2. Diribe Welteji (Eth) 4:16.39; 3. Winnie Jemutai (Ken) 4:18.99.
St: 1. Jackline Chepkoech (Ken) 9:27.40 PR; 2. Wondimagegn Zerfe (Eth) 9:35.22; 3. Faith Cherotich (Ken) 9:44.76.
3000: 1. Teresia Muthoni Gateri (Ken) 8:57.78; 2. Zenah Chemutai Yego (Ken) 8:59.59; 3. Melknat Wedu (Eth) 9:00.12 PR.
5000: 1. Mizan Alem Adane (Eth) 16:05.61; 2. Wedu 16:13.16; 3. Chesang 16:21.78.
100H(0.8): 1. Ackera Nugent (Jam) 12.95; 2. Anna-Maria Millend (Est) 13.45 NU18R; 3. Anna Tóth (Hun) 13.58.
400H: 1. Heidi Salminen (Fin) 56.94 PR; 2. Ludivine Aubert (Fra) 57.16 PR; 3. Savannah Sutherland (Can) 57.27 PR.
10,000W: 1. Sofia Ramos (Mex) 46:23.01; 2. Maele Bire-Heslouis (Fra) 47:43.87; 3. Eliška Martínková (CzR) 47:46.28.
4 x 100: 1. Jamaica 42.94 WJR (old WJR 43.27 Germany ’17) (Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Kerrica Hill, Tia Clayton);
2. Namibia 43.76 (7 WJ) (Haitembu, Masilingi, Vass, Mboma);
3. Nigeria 43.90 (Ofoku, Ofili, Taviore, Godbless).
4 x 400: 1. Nigeria 3:31.46 (Oke 54.23, Uko 51.02, Onojuvwewo 53.83, Ofili 52.38); 2. Jamaica 3:36.57 (Robinson, Francis, Baker, Dyer); 3. Italy 3:37.18 (Iezzi, Pansini, Ghergo, Almici).
Field Events
HJ: 1. Natalya Spiridonova (Rus) 6-3¼ (1.91) =PR; 2. Marithé Engondo (Swi) 6-2¼ (1.89) PR; 3. Styliana Ioannidou (Cyp) 6-1½ (1.87) PR.
PV: 1. Mirè Reinstorf (SA) 13-7¼ (4.15) PR; 2. Elise Russis (Fra) 13-7¼; 3. Heather Abadie (Can) 13-3½ (4.05).
LJ: 1. Maja Åskag (Swe) 21-8 (6.60) PR; 2. Shaili Singh (Ind) 21-7½w (6.59) (20-10¾/6.37); 3. Mariya Horelova (Ukr) 21-4 (6.50) PR.
TJ: 1. Åskag 45-1½ (13.75); 2. Tessy Ebosele (Spa) 44-8¾ (13.63) PR; 3. Darja Sopova (Lat) 44-7½ (13.60).
SP: 1. Miné De Klerk (SA) 57-1 (17.40); 2. Pınar Akyol (Tur) 54-10¼ (16.72); 3. Dané Roets (SA) 51-2¾ (15.61).
DT: 1. Violetta Ignatyeva (Rus) 189-9 (57.84); 2. De Klerk 175-6 (53.50) PR; 3. Alina Nikitsenka (Blr) 168-10 (51.47).
HT: 1. Silja Kosonen (Fin) 235-0 (71.64) ; 2. Rose Loga (Fra) 220-2 (67.11); 3. Mariolla Bykel (Blr) 213-11 (65.20).
JT: 1. Adriana Vilagoš (Ser) 201-8 (61.46) PR; 2. Elína Tzénggo (Gre) 195-6 (59.60); 3. Yicelena Vallar (Cub) 182-0 (55.48).
Hept: 1. Saga Vanninen (Fin) 5997; 2. Pippi Lotta Enok (Est) 5746 PR; 3. Szabina Szűcs (Hun) 5674 PR; 4. Sophie Kreiner (Aut) 5652 PR.
Mixed 4 x 400
1. Nigeria 3:19.70 (Johnson 47.75, Uko 51.10, Oke 54.41, Ajayi 46.44); 2. Poland 3:19.80 (Wróbel, Lesiewicz, Kaczmarek, Grzegorzewicz); 3. India 3:20.60 (Barath, Mohan, Summy, Kapil).