Tough start for Guyana at World U20 Championship
Team Guyana at the U20 World Championship
– Austin, Springer and McPherson in 400m action today
By Rawle Toney
Kaieteur Sports – It was far from the start Coach Julian Edmonds had hoped for as Guyana endured a tough opening day at the World U20 Championships in Lima, Peru.
The mixed relay team of Enoch Monroe, Narissa McPherson, De Nelson Gill, and Tianna Springer finished sixth in Heat 2 with a time of 3:26.06, falling short of advancing to the finals.
In the women’s 100m, 16-year-old Athaleyha Hinckson, the reigning CARIFTA U17 and South American U20 100m champion, clocked 12.01 seconds to place sixth in Heat 1.
All eyes will be on the South American U20 and CARIFTA Games U20 400m Champion, Malachi Austin
In the men’s 100m, Ezekiel Newton (10.80s) and Jackson Clarke (10.68s) were unable to progress beyond their respective heats.
Looking ahead to Day 2, McPherson and Springer will compete in the women’s 400m, while CARIFTA U20 and South American U20 Champion, Malachi Austin will be Guyana’s only representative in the men’s 400m.
Since the inception of the World U20 Championships in 1986, Guyana won just one medal—a silver in the women’s 400m, earned by Kadecia Baird.
Baird clocked an impressive 51.04s to finish second behind the USA’s Ashley Spencer, edging out another American, Erika Rucker.
Baird’s time remains the fastest U20 performance by a South American athlete.
Shaunae Miller-Uibo, who later became a two-time Olympic gold medallist and World Champion in the 400m, finished fourth in that race.
