World Athletics U20 Championships 2024: Jamaica's Alana Reid strikes gold in women's 100m

Alana Reid secures a perfect finish ahead of Adaejah Hodge at World Athletics U20 Championships 2024.

The 100m finals closed out a thrilling second day at the World Athletics U20 Championships 2024 at Lima on Wednesday. The women’s 100m was expected to come down to a battle between Jamaica’s Alana Reid and Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands, and it was indeed those two athletes who took the gold and silver, respectively.

11.17 in freezing conditions 💥🇯🇲's Alana Reid is your 100m world U20 champ ‼️#WorldAthleticsU20 pic.twitter.com/0d4JCrCvrm

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 29, 2024

It was a tale of two starts that made the difference in medal colour. Reid blasted out of the blocks and held that advantage over the duration of the race. In the end, no one could catch her as she crossed the line in 11.17 (0.0m/s) to take her first global U20 title.

Hodge, on the other hand, had to overcome a slightly sluggish start to earn her place on the podium. She accelerated well over the second half of the race to place second in 11.27. Kishawna Niles of Barbados rounded out the podium in 11.37.

The performance caps off a stellar season for Reid, who ran the lead-off leg on the Jamaican 4x100m relay team that took fifth place at the Olympic Games in Paris. She is now a two-time world U20 medallist, with this year’s gold medal an upgrade from her 200m bronze medal from Cali in 2022.

Also Read: World Athletics U20 Championships 2024: Ethiopia’s Medina Eisa wins gold in women’s 5000m; sets championship record

“This is my last World U20 Championships. In 2022 I ran the 200m and I came here and I told myself this is my last one and this is going to be my best one,” said Reid. “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.”

South Africa’s Bayanda Walaza wins men’s 100m at World Athletics U20 Championships 2024

Though he only came in with the seventh-fastest personal best, Bayanda Walaza would not be denied in the men’s 100m final. The South African won gold in 10.19 (-0.9m/s) after a phenomenal start that took control of the competition in the first steps of the race.

Puripol Boonson of Thailand came into the final knowing he would need an explosive start to challenge for the top of the podium. Though he was not able to get out quickly enough to vie for the title, he maintained his composure to finish well and place second in 10.22, gaining the first ever medal for his nation at the World U20 Championships. 

“This is special, especially for my people from South Africa, this means a lot,” said Walaza. “This is an extremely emotional moment for me. This was the best thing – I have never felt like this before. Okay, the Olympics. But this one, it’s about me! It feels special.”

Walaza’s compatriot and pre-event favourite Bradley Nkoana snagged the bronze in 10.26. The podium placings bode well for the South African men’s 4x100m team in Lima, particularly as both Walaza and Nkoana formed part of their nation’s silver medal-winning team at the Olympic Games in Paris.

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