World Athletics U20 Championships 2022, Cali, Colombia, 1st - 6th August: Day 6

[Mikka]

Germany managed 5th in the placing table with only one top 8 placing on the track. Shows the strength of their throws. Inverse GB.

[Runner88]

A decent performance by the GB squad but the juniors continue to echo where we are at with the seniors. Good on the track across sprints and middle distance. A few highlights in the throws and a real lack of depth in the jumps. Does make you think this is a signal of where coaching and talent is going from a young age in this country.

[Runner88]

Some of the tactics and pacing in the middle and long distance races has been insane! Some of it understandable as it’s probably the first time they’re racing against international competition at this level, but some of it was utterly bonkers.

It’s noticeable even at this level that the Kenyans and Ethiopians simply do not race in the pack or not go with the leading pace. More often than not they will be right at the front no matter what the pace and simply go with it. It’s pays off sometimes but on other occasions it does put them out of the medals.

[LuckySpikes]

After not following these champs after Day one-and-a-half (athletics fatigue?), I did watch last night's session which was very enjoyable.

Two excellent bronze medals for Ethan Hussey & our women's 4x4 team. What happened to Noah Kibet in the 800 though? He's a winner on the Diamond League but was wading through treacle on the home straight.

There were some crazy "tactics" in the distance races. Firstly, the 2 Kenyan girls covering the first lap of the 5000 at 13:20 pace! Rather unsurprisingly, they both really paid for it and finished north of 16:29. This race was another little victory for the World Cross Country Tour with winner Medina Eisa (ETH) having finished 5th in the senior race at the Campaccio XC back in January.

Then, in the Men's Steeple the Japanese lad clearly hadn't been taking note of the Kenyan women's fate and belted off at an insane pace too.

What a few weeks it's been for 17yo Karmen Bruus (EST) in the High Jump! She underperformed at the Euro U18s, only jumping 1.75. But then she went to Eugene with a 1.90 outdoor PB and jumped 1.93 in the qualies and then 1.96 in the final to equal the World U18 Best. Then last night she more than backed that up, winning the title with a clutch 3rd attempt clearance at 1.95 (and 3 attempts at 1.97). Angelina Topic was beaten on this occasion into 3rd with 1.93 and was a bit insolent during the medal ceremony.

Bruus & Topic are both eligible for the U20 Championships in 2024 as well. However, if they're making a serious impact in the senior ranks by then, it might be a bit "beneath them".

15 year-old Sharifa Davranova (UZB) won the Women's TJ with 14.04. One to watch! However, a few years ago Alexsandra Nacheva (BUL) was jumping slightly further at 16yo but she hasn't progressed since.

[SprintRelayFan]

Great stats! Was watching sissons anchor leg again this morning from Jerusalem - love to see her go past the French girl!

[trickstat]

It's not like it's the name of a famous movie star or anything!

[Occasional Hope]

Jenny actually manages to get Topic correct, but can't manage Angelina.

[trickstat]

Perhaps not surprising that it was high quality, but 1.93 is still a very good height for bronze at U20.

[trickstat]

I was impressed by how close we were to Jamaica. Other than YMJ the rest of the team are all U18s.

[RunUnlimited]

The gamble to put Yemi Mary John on first leg to get GB into the race, worked perfectly, as the quartet won a very good bronze medal behind the long gone USA and Jamaica, with ever-reliable Etty Sisson, 4th in the individual 400m at the European U18's in July and the final leg runner in the gold medal winning medley relay too, was even closing on the Jamaican runner in the last 50m. The team's time of 3:31.86 is the 2nd fastest time ever run by the British women's U20 4x400m team too. Well done!

[Occasional Hope]

Bronze for the relay girls. YMJ didn't give us as much of a lead as I think we would have expected at the start.

[Occasional Hope]

Not just Topic. She should have very tough competition from 17yo Karmen Bruus who improved her PB by 6cm in Eugene and equalled the World U18 Record, jointly held by Topic at 1.96. There's also a 19yo Dutch girl, Britt Weerman, who's jumped 1.95.

Well reminded.

Bruus gold, Weerman silver, Topic bronze.

[jjimbojames]

Well done from Ethan Hussey! A well fought for bronze medal there. Almost two medals for Great Britain there, but Reardon just couldn't quite hang on in the home straight. Girma with the gold.

Great run by Hussey. Reardon really is a top guy - post-race interview was everything you’d hope for from the captain. His time will surely come

[Occasional Hope]

Caune gave it a really good go.

[Occasional Hope]

Two more impressive young Ethiopian distance women there.