Host nation win three more golds on final day of the World Under-20 Championships in Nairobi as Sweden’s Maja Åskag seals jumps double and there are world records in sprint relays

With 16 medals – eight of which were gold – Kenya ended the World Under-20 Championships as the most successful nation. Medals aside, they also headed the placings table with 128 points from Ethiopia (111) and Jamaica (100).

Amos Serem summed up the mood when he won the men’s 3000m steeplechase title in 8:30.72. Leaping over the final water jump in flamboyant style without touching the barrier, the Kenyan waved and celebrated coming into the home straight and then did a victory dance at the finish.

His team-mate Emmanuel Wanyonyi was also supremely impressive in the men’s 800m as he kicked off a fast pace to overtake Mohamed Ali Gouaned of Algeria to win in a championship best of 1:43.76.

Noah Kibet, also from Kenya, had led through the bell in a startling 49 seconds but wound up third in 1:44.88.

Kenya won gold and bronze in the women’s 1500m too as Purity Chepkirui took the win in 4:16.07 from Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji (4:16.39) and Winnie Jemutai of Kenya (4:18.99).

One of Kenya’s medals did not materialise, however, in controversial circumstances. The women’s 5000m saw Ethiopia’s Mizan Alem win in 16:05.61 from team-mate Melknat Wudu and Uganda’s Priscah Chesang. Soon after the race Wudu and Chesang were disqualified, though, for briefly putting a foot inside the track when they appeared to clip each other a few laps from the finish.

Suddenly upgraded from fourth to silver, Zenah Cheptoo of Kenya began celebrating with her flag on the track but the disqualifications were later reversed, which meant Cheptoo dropped back to fourth.

There was more controversy in the men’s 400m hurdles after Oskar Edlund of Sweden won the race but was disqualified for a trail leg infringement. Gold instead went to Berke Akcam of Turkey with 49.38.

The championships will perhaps be best remembered for the record-breaking sprint hurdles exploits of Sasha Zhoya of France but there were several athletes on the final day who also impressed hugely.

Maja Åskag sealed a superb jumps double as she added the long jump title to the triple jump crown she won two days earlier. The Swedish athlete jumped 6.60m to beat Shaili Singh of India by one centimetre.

It was also a ‘double double’ as Åskag achieved the same golden feat at the European Under-20 Championships in Tallinn in July.

“At the beginning of the season, I wouldn’t have believed this, so now standing here with four championship golds, it’s crazy,” she said.

Another potential star of the future was in action in the throws circle too. Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna achieved the second longest discus throw of all-time by an under-20 athlete to break the championship record with 69.81m. He has good advice, though, as his father is the double Olympic champion Virgilijus.

The championships ended in traditional style with the relays and there were world records in the 4x100m events. No doubt helped by the altitude of the Nairobi venue, South Africa clocked 38.51 to win the men’s race while Jamaica won the women’s event with 42.94.

The South African quarter was Mihlali Xhotyeni, Sinesopho Dambile, Letlhogonolo Moleyane & Benjamin Richardson. The Jamaican team, meanwhile, consisted of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Kerrica Hill and Tia Clayton, whereas Namibia also caught the eye after a sizzling anchor leg from Christine Mboma which brought her team into second.

For coverage from earlier events at the 2021 World Under-20 Championships, CLICK HERE