LIMA, PERU, August 27–31 — Baylor’s Molly Haywood brought her best to the World U20 Championships, jumping a PR 14-8 (4.47) to win the first gold for Team USA’s women, in the process becoming the No. 8 U.S. Junior of all-time.
She said that being one of the many good young vaulters in the U.S. readied her to win by more than a foot. “I feel like all the different girls are able to feed off of each other and be able to just use each other as competition. We obviously want to jump as high as we can. Being able to use that as motivation to jump higher has really made a big difference.”
The team’s other dominant winner was Mississippi’s Akaoma Odeluga, who won the shot by more than 3 feet with her 56-10¾ (17.34).
After disaster in the 4×1 when the U.S. anchor sacrificed a lead by taking off too early and earning a DQ, the 4×4 proved steady. The foursome of Michaela Mouton, Olivia Harris, Josie Donelson, and Zaya Akins ran 3:30.74 to beat Australia’s 3:31.47.
Illinois frosh Sophia Beckmon made it to the podium first with her long jump silver on day 2, her 21-5½ (6.54) just short of the 21-7¼ (6.58) by Australia’s Delta Amidzovski.
In all, the United States won 7 medals, with bronzes going to South Carolina’s Akins in the 400 (52.00), Harvard’s Sophia Gorriaran in the 800 (2:01.04) and javelin thrower Evie Bliss of Bucknell (177-2/54.01).
One of the meet’s more impressive performances came from Serbia’s Angelina Topić, who had reportedly fractured her non-takeoff ankle in qualifying for the Olympic high jump final less than a month ago. Here she flew over 6-3¼ (1.91) to easily win.
Jamaica’s Alana Reid captured the 100 in 11.17, then anchored the 4×1 winners to a 43.39. Georgia recruit Adaejah Hodge ran 2nd in the 100 (11.27) then won the 200 in 22.74 for the British Virgin Islands.
Kenya only won the 800 with Sarah Moraa’s 2:00.36. The rest of the distances fell to strong performances by Ethiopians. Saron Berhe took the 1500 in 4:16.64 over Canada’s Rachel Forsyth (4:17.94). Aleshign Baweke won the 3000 in 8:50.32. Sembo Almayew steepled 9:12.71 and Medina Eisa took the 5000 by more than 100m with her 14:39.71.
China dominated the long throws, with the discus going to Bingyang Han (188-10/57.57), the hammer to Jiale Zhang (226-2/68.95) and the javelin to Ziyi Yan (206-10/63.05).
WORLD U20 WOMEN’S MEDALISTS
100(0.0): 1. Alana Reid (Jam) 11.17; 2. Adaejah Hodge (BVI) 11.27; 3. Kishawna Niles (Bar) 11.37. Semis: II(-0.3)–6. Avery Lewis (US) 11.77. III(0.4)–6. Taylor Snaer (US) 11.77.
200(0.0): 1. Hodge 22.74; 2. Torrie Lewis (Aus) 22.88 PR; 3. Shanoya Douglas (Jam) 23.10;… 5. Snaer 23.31;… 8. Elise Cooper (US) 23.40.
400: 1. Lurdes Gloria Manuel (CzR) 51.29; 2. Dianna Proctor (Can) 51.98 PR; 3. Zaya Akins (US) 52.00;… 8. Michaela Mouton (US) 53.09.
800: 1. Sarah Moraa (Ken) 2:00.36; 2. Claudia Hollingsworth (Aus) 2:00.87; 3. Sophia Gorriaran (US) 2:01.04. Heats: III–6. Ka’Myya Haywood (US) 2:12.53.
1500: 1. Saron Berhe (Eth) 4:16.64; 2. Rachel Forsyth (Can) 4:17.94; 3. Jolanda Kallabis (Ger) 4:19.34;… 13. Dylan McElhinney (US) 4:24.22.
3000: 1. Aleshign Baweke (Eth) 8:50.32; 2. Marion Jepngetich (Ken) 8:52.37; 3. Marta Alemayo (Eth) 8:53.64. Heats: I–13. Katie Clute (US) 9:48.28.
St: 1. Sembo Almayew (Eth) 9:12.71;
2. Loice Chekwemoi (Uga) 9:18.84 PR (8, x WJ);
3. Diana Chepkemoi (Ken) 9:29.84 PR; 4. Frehiwot Gesese (Eth) 9:34.50;… 10. Angelina Napoleon (US) 9:58.58; 11. Clute 10:07.61.
5000: 1. Medina Eisa (Eth) 14:39.71; 2. Mekedes Alemeshete (Eth) 14:57.44; 3. Charity Cherop (Uga) 15:25.02 PR;… 10. Arianne Olson (US) 16:19.23;… 18. Zariel Macchia (US) 17:12.33.
100H(-0.3): 1. Kerrica Hill (Jam) 12.99; 2. Mia Wild (Cro) 13.15; 3. Delta Amidzovski (Aus) 13.24; 4. Nonah Waldron (US) 13.30. Heats: III(-0.2)–3. Ana-Liese Torian (US) 13.95.
400H: 1. Meta Tumba (Fra) 55.59 PR; 2. Wiktoria Gadajska (Pol) 56.87 PR; 3. Hannah Van Niekerk (SA) 56.98 PR;… dq[trail leg—[2]Jasmine Robinson (US) [56.04]. Semis: II–5. Braelyn Baker (US) 57.97.
10,000W: 1. Zhuoma Baima (Chn) 43:26.60 PR; 2. Meiling Chen (Chn) 44:30.67 PR; 3.. Arti (Ind) 44:39.39 PR;… 30. Angelica Harris (US) 50:16.24.
4 x 100: 1. Jamaica 43.39; 2. Switzerland 44.06; 3. Canada 44.60;… dq[zone]—United States.
4 x 400: 1. United States 3:30.74; 2. Australia 3:31.47; 3. Great Britain 3:32.80.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Angelina Topić (Ser) 6-3¼ (1.91); 2. Izobelle Louison-Roe (Aus) 6-2¼ (1.89) PR; 3. Karmen Bruus (Est) 6-2¼;… 10. Cheyla Scott (US) 5-10¾ (1.80). Qual(dnq): Claire Lowrey (US) 5-9¾ (1.77).
PV: 1. Molly Haywood (US) 14-8 (4.47) PR (8, x AJ);
2. Magdalena Rauter (Aut) 13-7¼ (4.15); 3. Tryphena Hewett (Aus) 13-7¼; 4. Hanah Grace (US) 13-3½ (4.05).
LJ: 1. Delta Amidzovski (Aus) 21-7¼ (6.58) PR; 2. Sophia Beckmon (US) 21-5½ (6.54); 3. Julia Adamczyk (Pol) 20-9¾ (6.34). Qual(dnq): Alexandria Johnson (US) 18-10½ (5.75)
TJ: 1. Sharifa Davronova (Uzb) 45-1½ (13.75); 2. Yi Li (Chn) 44-5½ (13.55); 3. Erika Giorgia Saraceni (Ita) 44-2½ (13.47) PR. Qual(dnq): Ma’kala Davis (US) 39-3 (11.96)
SP: 1. Akaoma Odeluga (US) 56-10¾ (17.34); 2. Martina Mazurová (CzR) 53-9 (16.38) PR; 3. Jing-Yuan Chiang (Tai) 52-6½ (16.01) PR. Qual(dnq): Gracelyn Leiseth (US) 47-3¾ (14.42).
DT: 1. Bingyang Han (Chn) 188-10 (57.57) PR; 2. Jingru Huang (Chn) 185-3 (56.47); 3. Marley Raikiwasa (Aus) 184-6 (56.25);… 5. Leiseth 173-5 (52.87);… 9. Reese Garland (US) 165-10 (50.56).
HT: 1. Jiale Zhang (Chn) 226-2 (68.95); 2. Valentina Savva (Cyp) 220-6 (67.21); 3. Villö Viszkeleti (Hun) 213-1 (64.94). Qual(dnq): Jordan Koskondy (US) 178-2 (54.31), Jenna Gallaway (US) 167-2 (50.97).
JT: 1. Ziyi Yan (Chn) 206-10 (63.05) (x, 8 WJ);
2. Pin-Hsun Chiu (Tai) 178-1 (54.28); 3. Evie Bliss (US) 177-2 (54.01);… 12. Alysa Keller (US) 150-5 (45.84).
Hept: 1. Jana Koščak (Cro) 5807; 2. Lucia Acklin (Swi) 5755 PR; 3. Adéla Tkáčová (CzR) 5601;… 13. Abby Elmore (US) 5052.