Australia tops the medal table on Day 2 of the World Under 20 Championships in Lima

At the end of the second day of the World Under 20 championships in Lima, Australia topped the medal table with two gold medals –one from the Women’s Long Jump final and the other from the 4x400m mixed relay on day 1, and a bronze medal from the women’s Discus Throw.

East Germany, the Soviet Union, China, the USA, and Kenya are the only countries that have ever placed on top of the medal table since the World U20 Championships began in 1986. It will be interesting to watch out for another country with the potential to join the five nations at the table. So far, so good for Australia, as it is the only country to have not missed a gold medal, so far, each day of the championships.

There have been just four finals on each day of the first two days of the championships, but the number of gold medals on offer in the following days will be more than double that as most of the events that began with the heats will have passed through the semi-finals and finally reached the finals.

After her runners won gold in the mixed 4 x 400m relay on the first day, Delta Amidzovski jumped 6.58m to win the women’s long jump world title and earn a second gold medal for Australia on the second day. USA’s Sophia Beckmon won silver after registering 6.54m, while Poland’s Julia Adamczyk secured the bronze medal after jumping 6.34m.

In the women’s Discus Throw, China took the top two podium places after Han Bingyang threw 57.57m to claim the victory. Her compatriot, Huang Jingru, threw 56.47m to win the silver medal, while Australia’s Marley Raikiwasa got the bronze medal with her throw of 56.25m.

 The longest events on track, the men’s and women’s 5000m races, were featured on the first day of the championships, while the shortest (100m races) were featured on the second day.

The women’s 100m gold went to Jamaica’s Alana Reid in 11.17, while Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands took home the silver medal in 11.27, and Kishawn Niles of Barbados took the bronze medal in 11.37.

Being her last World U20 Championships, and her second having ran in the 200m event  in 2022, she came here with the aim of making it her best outing at the championships, and she did exactly that.  “I would say to the new generation, never give up. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t hold your head high, dream big, work towards whatever you have in your mind. Believe you can achieve,” said Reid.

South Africa’s Bayanda Walaza won the men’s version of the race and could not hide his great joy after crossing the finish line in 10.19. “This is an extremely emotional moment for me. This was the best thing – I have never felt like this before,” he said.

Thailand’s Puripol Boonson won the silver medal in 10.22 ahead of another South African, Bradley Nkoana, who won the bronze medal in 10.26.