The 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships kicked off Aug. 27 in Lima, Peru. Top-ranked Japanese woman Kana Mizumoto was a DNS in the Championships' first final, the women's 5000 m, but teammate Yumi Yamamoto was the top non-African finisher at 6th, running 16:01.54. But with gold medalist Medina Eisa of Ethiopia running a 14:39.71 championships record Yamamoto was over 36 seconds outside the medals. All three men's 5000 m medalists ran 13:41 with Kenyan Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi taking gold in 13:41.14. That was slightly faster than the PBs of Yamato Hamaguchi and Kaito Matsui, but both were far below potential with Hamaguchi 13th in 14:16.29 and Matsui last in 15:31.85.
In qualifying rounds, both 800 m national record holders Rin Kubo and Ko Ochiai easily made the semifinals, Kubo the fastest overall in the women's heats with a 2:04.53 and Ochiai 2nd in his heat in 1:50.67. Togo Yoshizawa also advanced, 3rd in Heat 3 in 1:51.49 behind Ochiai's biggest rival for gold, Australian Peyton Craig.
Japan's 100 m men had no problems in the heats, Naoki Nishioka advancing with a 10.27 (+0.9) to win Heat 1 and Fukuto Komuro 3rd in Heat 7 in 10.47 (-0.2). Nishioka then made it to the final, running 10.43 (-0.9) for 2nd in SF1, but Komuro was eliminated when he ran only 10.56 (-0.2) for 6th in SF3.
Koki Kanai also made it through the men's triple jump qualifying round, 7th overall at 15.69 m (+0.4). In the women's long jump, Shion Hashimoto jumped 5.89 m for 5th in qualifying group B and did not make the final, placing 15th overall with only the top 12 going on.
The Lima World U20 Championships continue through Saturday. Complete schedule and results here.
© 2024 Brett Larner, all rights reserved
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