Hinckson, Austin strike gold in Peru
– Springer grabs 400m Bronze
By Rawle Toney
Kaieteur Sports – Malachi Austin’s 400m gold and Athaleyah Hinckson’s win in the women’s 100m highlighted Guyana’s performance at this year’s South American U20 Championship in Athletics, heading into the final day of the event in Lima, Peru.
Austin, Hinckson, and Tianna Springer are representing Guyana at the 46th South American U20 Championship, which began in 1959.
On Friday, Hinckson gave Guyana a perfect start by winning the women’s 100m in 11.76 seconds, beating Colombia’s Maturana Camila (11.85s) and Vanessa Dos Santos of Brazil (11.86s), who finished third.
Hinckson became the first female to win a 100m gold at the South American U20 Championship in Athletics. The 15-year-old now turns her attention to the 200m finals later today.
Meanwhile, Austin won his second international medal this year, after clinching the CARIFTA Games U20 400m title. His time of 47.21 seconds earned him gold ahead of Colombia’s Ian Reasco (47.69s) and Brazil’s Vinicius Galeno (48.29s).
In the women’s 400m finals, Tianna Springer, the championship record holder, had to settle for bronze with a performance of 55.12 seconds.
The race was won by Brazil’s Julia Ribeiro (54.32s), with Colombia’s Castro Nahomy (54.87s) finishing second.
At last year’s championships, Springer ran 53.53 seconds to break Brazil’s Bárbara de Oliveira’s 2009 record of 53.44s set in São Paulo.
Guyana’s medal tallies this year equals last year’s performance, where Springer won 400m gold and Ezekiel Newton won the 200m and finished third in the 100m.
