CALI, COLOMBIA, August 01-06 — After missing last year’s Nairobi edition due to the pandemic, Team USA returned to the World Junior (U20) Championships in winning fashion, grabbing more golds than any other nation, 7, though Jamaica had more total medals, 16 to 15.
The competition’s speed events were helped along by the very friendly 968m of altitude at Estadio Pascual Guerrero.
Prime among the headliners was Botswanan Letsile Tebogo, who turned virtually sideways in the last 25m of the 100 to taunt Jamaica’s Bouwahjgie Nkrumie, but still broke his own WJR with a 9.91. Nkrumie took silver in 10.02.
In 4th, 16-year old Thai sensation Phooripol Bunson ran 10.12, close to the World Youth (U18) Record he had set in the semis.
Said Tebogo, “When the gun went off I had to make sure I made the best start of my life and it was the best start of my life. I didn’t plan (the celebration) but as soon as my first step I knew the title was mine. I didn’t worry about the time. I didn’t look.”
That confidence did not carry over successfully to the 200, where Israeli Blessing Afrifa nicked Oregon recruit Tebogo as both ran 19.96. “I’m so emotional. I’m out of words,” said Afrifa. “For a second, I thought, ‘OK, I’m 2nd, but I am very happy to be second to Tebogo.’”
On the field, France’s Anthony Ammirati took the vault in an impressive 18-10¼ (5.75), his teammate Erwan Konate won the long jump at 26-6¼ (8.08), and Jamaica’s Jaydon Hibbert, an Arkansas recruit, added 2-feet to his TJ best to grab gold (56-8/17.27). The lone U.S. individual win went to shot putter Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan, who threw the Junior ball 68-¼ (20.73).
In a thrilling 4×1, Japan won in a better 39.35 than Jamaica’s as the United States took bronze in 39.57. The final race of the meet, the 4×4 was more to the Americans’ liking, with Will Sumner (45.88) anchoring the team to gold in 3:04.47 as Jamaica (3:05.72) took 2nd.
JUNIOR MEN’S MEDALISTS
100(0.8): 1. Letsile Tebogo (Bot) 9.91 WJR (old WJR 9.94 Tebogo ’22);
2. Bouwahjgie Nkrumie (Jam) 10.02 PR (7, =11 WJ);
3. Benji Richardson (SA) 10.12; 4. Phooripol Bunson (Tha) 10.12 (x, 2 WY);… 7. Laurenz Colbert (US) 10.24.
Semis: II(0.7)–1. Bunson 10.09 WYR (old WYR 10.15 Anthony Schwartz [US] ’17);
… 4. Michael Gizzi (US) 10.30.
200(-1.0): 1. Blessing Afrifa (Isr) 19.96 NR (3, 9 WJ); 2. Tebogo 19.96 PR (=3, =9 WJ);
3. Calab Law (Aus) 20.48;… 5. Brandon Miller (US) 20.64.
Heats: II(0.4)–1. Tebogo 19.99 PR (3, =10 WJ).
400: 1. Lythe Pillay (SA) 45.28 PR; 2. Steven McElroy (US) 45.65; 3. Yusuf Ali Abbas (Bhr) 45.80 PR.
Semis: II–3. Ashton Schwartzman (US) 46.50.
800: 1. Ermiyas Girma (Eth) 1:47.36; 2. Haithem Chenitef (Alg) 1:47.61 PR; 3. Ethan Hussey (GB) 1:47.65.
Semis: I–7. Samuel Rodman (US) 1:49.47. II–6. Miles Brown (US) 1:50.17.
1500: 1. Raynold Kipkorir (Ken) 3:35.83; 2. Ermiyas Girma (Eth) 3:37.24; 3. Daniel Kimaiyo (Ken) 3:37.43;… 5. Nathan Green (US) 3:39.44.
Heats: 1–11. Luke Tewalt (US) 3:56.54.
3000: 1. Melkeneh Azeze (Eth) 7:44.06 PR; 2. Felix Korir (Ken) 7:47.86 PR; 3. Edwin Kimonsong (Ken) 7:49.82 PR.
Heats: II–11. Lucas Guerra (US) 8:21.90.
St: 1. Samuel Deguna (Eth) 8:37.92; 2. Samuel Firewu (Eth) 8:39.11; 3. Salaheddine Ben Yazide (Mor) 8:40.62.
Heats: I–6. Peter Visser (US) 9:06.47. II–7. Bryce Lentz (US) 9:07.67.
5000: 1. Addisu Yehune (Eth) 14:03.05; 2. Merhawi Mebrahtu (Eri) 14:03.33; 3. Samuel Habtom (Eri) 14:03.67;… 12. Tyrone Gorze (US) 14:32.23, Dylan Throop (US).
110H(0.2): 1. Antoine Andrews (Bah) 13.23 PR;
2. Malik Mixon (US) 13.27 PR (HSL) (11, x AJ; =5, =7 HS); 3. Matthew Sophia (Neth) 13.34 PR (=8, x WJ).
Semis: III(0.5)–6. TJ Caldwell (US) 13.79.
400H: 1. Ismail Nezir (Tur) 48.84 PR; 2. Ian Guček Matic (Slo) 48.91 NR; 3. Roshawn Clarke (Jam) 49.62.
Semis: II–4. Grant Williams (US) 50.82.III–4. Kody Blackwood (US) 51.15.
10,000W: 1. Mazlum Demir (Tur) 42:36.02; 2. Ismail Benhammouda (Alg) 42:42.49; 3. Hayrettin Yildiz (Tur) 43:07.95.
4 x 100: 1. Japan 39.35 (Ikeshita, Fujiwara, Tateno, Yanagita); 2. Jamaica 39.35 (Nkrumie, Levell, Daley, Kerr); 3. United States 39.57 (Colbert, Gizzi, Miller, Brackins).
4 x 400: 1. United States 3:04.47 (McElroy 46.93, Schwartzman 45.36, Bartholomew 46.30, Sumner 45.88); 2. Jamaica 3:05.72 (Palmer 48.21, Uter 45.41, Dennis 47.08, Kennedy 45.02); 3. Canada 3:06.50 (Morales 46.62, Tilson 47.12, Kidd 46.83, Floyd 45.93).
Field Events
HJ: 1. Brandon Pottinger (Jam) 7-¼ (2.14) =PR; 2. tie, Brian Raats (SA) & Bozhidar Saraboyukov (Bul) 6-10¾ (2.10).
PV: 1. Anthony Ammirati (Fra) 18-10¼ (5.75) PR (=5, x WJ);
2. Juho Alasaari (Fin) 18-4½ (5.60) PR; 3. Michał Gawenda (Pol) 17-10½ (5.45) PR; 4. Garrett Brown (US) 17-2¾ (5.25);… 9. Justin Rogers (US) 16-10¾ (5.15).
LJ: 1. Erwan Konate (Fra) 26-6¼ (8.08); 2. Alejandro A. Parada (Cub) 25-11½ (7.91); 3. Gabriel Luiz Boza (Bra) 25-11 (7.90); 4. Curtis Williams (US) 25-9½ (7.86) PR;… 6. Johnny Brackins (US) 25-7½ (7.81).
TJ: 1. Jaydon Hibbert (Jam) 56-8 (17.27) PR (=8, x WJ);
2. T. Selva Prabhu (Ind) 53-0 (16.15) PR; 3. Viktor Morozov (Est) 52-11 (16.13) PR;… 5. Floyd Whitaker (US) 52-6½ (16.01) PR;… 8. Solomon Washington (US) 51-¼ (15.55).
SP: 1. Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan (US) 68-¼ (20.73) PR (10, x AJ; 4, x HS);
2. Kobe Lawrence (Jam) 67-6¼ (20.58) PR; 3. Tizian Noah Lauria (Ger) 67-5¼ (20.55).
Qual: Cade Moran (US) 57-2¾ (17.44).
DT: 1. Marius Karges (Ger) 215-0 (65.55); 2. Mika Sosna (Ger) 209-7 (63.88); 3. Mykhailo Brudin (Ukr) 207-8 (63.30) PR;… 7. Desmond Coleman (US) 198-3 (60.43) PR;… 9. Kevin Grubbs (US) 197-2 (60.11).
HT: 1. Ioánnis Korakídis (Gre) 259-6 (79.11) PR; 2. Max Lampinen (Fin) 250-5 (76.33) PR; 3. Iosef Kesides (Cyp) 250-5 (76.32) PR;… 8. Robinson-O’Hagan 239-8 (73.05).
Qual: Collin Burkhart (US) 232-5 (70.84).
JT: 1. Artur Felfner (Ukr) 260-4 (79.36); 2. Max Dehning (Ger) 253-5 (77.24); 3. Keyshawn Strachan (Bah) 239-4 (72.95);… 8. Evan Niedrowski (US) 227-2 (69.25).
Qual: Niedrowski 227-9 (69.42).
Dec: 1. Gabriel Emmanuel (Neth) 7860 PR; 2. Jacob Thelander (Swe) 7770; 3. Elliot Duvert (Swe) 7622 PR.