Young African athletes produced stellar performances on Friday to grab crucial wins at the ongoing World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru. A total of four Africans took gold in various events, including South African sprinting sensation Bayanda Walaza, whose 200m win earned him a second gold in the championships.
Having already won the 100m finals, the 18-year-old faced competition from a talented line-up of sprinters, but ensured a perfect start to push on to the finish line first in a time of 20.52. Australia’s Gout Gout took silver while UK’s’s Jake Odey-Jordan settled for bronze. Kenya’s Sarah Moraa also dominated the Women’s 800m final race to take gold in a time of 2:00.36.
This victory capped a remarkable season for Moraa, who only managed third place at the Kenyan Olympic Trials in June. behind Moraa, Australia’s Claudia Hollingsworth took silver as Sophia Gorriaran of the USA settled for bronze.
In the thrilling men’s 800m final that was decided by a final kick, Ethiopia’s General Berhanu Ayansa emerged victorious in a time of 1:46.86. Despite entering the competition with the fourth-best personal best (1:45.45), Ayansa executed a perfectly timed finish to claim gold.
Australia’s Peyton Craig took second place with a time of 1:46.95, while Japan’s Ko Ochiai, the Asian U20 champion and national U20 record-holder, finished third in 1:47.03. A second gold of the day for Ethiopia was delivered by Aleshign Baweke in the Women’s 3000m race.
Despite Ethiopia not winning this event at the U20 Championships since 2016, their entrants were favorites, leading the field by significant margins in PBs and season’s bests. Baweke had to overtake Kenya’s Marion Jepnegetich, who led for much of the race, in the final 200 meters before crossing the finish line in a time of 8:50.32. Jepnegetich held on for silver with a time of 8:52.37 while Marta Alemayo of Ethiopia took bronze in 8:53.64.
The result boosted Ethiopia’s quest for a strong finish in the championships. The East African side currently sits second overall on the medal table.
