EUGENE (USA, Aug 7): Steeplechase (senior) African bronze medallist Almaz Yohannis clocked a new U20 world lead of 9:15.81 when winning the women’s 3000m steeplechase at the World U20 Champs. She gradually began to pull away from her rivals in the final km and won convincingly ahead of fellow Ethiopian Wosane Asefa (9:30.50), Kenya’s Anatasha Cheptoo (9:37.18), Majken Soderlund Larsson of Sweden (9:48.01 U20EL/NR) and European U20 medallist Ema Berková of Czechia (9:49.06 U20NR). Favored African silver medallist Mercy Chepngeno Koskey of Kenya started to lose ground at 2000m and retired later.
EUGENE, OREGON – AUGUST 07: Anatasha Cheptoo of Team Kenya and Mercy Chepngeno Koskey of Team Kenya compete in the Women’s 3000m Steeplechase during day three of the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships at Hayward Field on August 07, 2026 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/WA/Getty Images for World Athletics)
In the second women’s final of the day, European U20 medallist Anastazja Kus of Poland won the 400m in 51.06 U20NR from US Ataja Stephens-Vazquez (51.36), Tianna Springer of Guyana (51.76) and Slovakia’s Lenka Gymerská (52.37 U20NR).
EUGENE, OREGON – AUGUST 07: Anastazja Kus of Team Poland wins the Women’s 400m during day three of the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships at Hayward Field on August 07, 2026 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/WA/Getty Images for World Athletics)
Shanoya Douglas in 22.53 (0.5), 100m champion Mia Maxwell in 22.87 (1.2) with Italy’s Margherita Castellani third (22.99 U20NR), and Oghene Oyibu of Nigeria in 23.13 (0.3) won the 200m semifinals.
EUGENE, OREGON – AUGUST 05: Shanoya Mikalia Douglas of Team Jamaica competes in a heat of the Women’s 100m during day one of the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships at Hayward Field on August 05, 2026 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Steph Chambers/WA/Getty Images for World Athletics)
In the 100m hurdles, semi wins for Tumi Ramokgopa of South Africa in 13.02 (0.5), Jamaica’s Tiana Marshall 13.02 (0.1) and Daryl Ndasi of Germany 13.10 (0.9) PB, while American Paige Sheppard was the fastest in the 800m semifinals with 2:01.97.
Alfonz Juck is a husband, father, statistician, announcer, journalist, organizer, agent usw, following track and field since 1972. EME NEWS is a news service relating to the sport of athletics. It is published on daily basis with additional updates, as required. Copyright is held by Alfons Juck, TOP ATHLETICS, a.s., Krikova 10, 82107 Bratislava, Slovakia. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The redistribution and/or direct reproduction of material from EME NEWS is prohibited unless permission is given by c TOP ATHLETICS (such as being included in a subscription agreement).
