Australia has ended the opening day of the World Under 20 Championships with a bronze medal in the mixed 4x400m courtesy of Dylan Ruming, Xanthee Watts, Fred Hamblin and Charlotte McAuliffe.
The quartet set a new Australian Record of 3:18.45 behind a World U20 Record of 3:15.31 by the USA.
“Coming off having all three relays medal in Peru just really gives us the motivation that we can do it, that we’ve done it on the world stage before. I think it just motivated us to back up the same performances,” said McAuliffe, 19, who was a silver medallist in the women’s 4x400m at the last edition of the World U20 Championships two years ago.
Ruming split 46.87 seconds for the opening leg, with Watts 52.61, Hamblin 46.36 and McAuliffe anchoring in 52.61.
Lucas Chis slashed 13 seconds off his PB in tough distance running conditions to finish 11th in the 5000m in 13:51.40.
“I’m speechless,” he said, after the race was run in 28 degree heat.
“After I finished the race I looked up and smiled, I was so happy.
“I’ve worked so hard these past few months and to see it pay off, I’m just so happy”
Charles Barrett finished 22nd with a time of 14:43.17, while in the women’s race Libby Mantay and Imogen Baker finished 25th and 26th respectively, in 17:07.68 and 17:25.93.
Zavier Peacock was the best of Australia’s sprinters in the semi-finals of the 100m, finishing 6th to place 15th overall with a run of 10.36 seconds. Peacock clocked a PB of 10.32 in the heats, as did Uwezo Lubenda (10.33), who clocked 10.54 in the semis.
“There are a lot of boys I competed with today that are running faster than me, so I need to go back to Australia and work on my craft a bit more,” he said.
“It’s really good to be out with these boys, they are all pro athletes, some of them are Olympic athletes, so it’s just good to run with them and next time try to beat them.”
Maya Taber (6th in semi, 16th overall, 11.56) and Zara Hagan (9th in semi, 27th overall, 11.72) couldn’t match their heat performances of 11.39 and 11.40 respectively.
All four 800m runners Daniel Williams, Harry Hallen, Ivy Boothroyd and Emma Fryga progressed through to the semi-finals, while 16-year-old Jamison Harding was one of eleven athletes to clear 4.10m in the qualifying round to progress to the final.
“I came in hoping to make the final and was quite relieved,” she said.
“Not that I’m in it, all I want is a PB, but now hopefully a medal.”
