Namibian sprinter Beatrice Masilingi on Friday set a new World U20 Championship record in the women’s 200m on her way to qualifying for Saturday’s final at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya.
18-year-old Masilingi clocked a time of 22.19 seconds eclipsing the times set by compatriot Christine Mboma and Nigeria’s Favour Ofili of 22.41 seconds and 22.37 seconds, respectively.
Mboma and Ofili both won their heats and would have had the honour of holding a championship record were it not for Masilingi’s stunning effort.
It has been an eventful 24 hours for Masilingi who a day earlier won a silver medal after coming second in the women’s 100m final in 11.39 seconds.
Masilingi is unable to compete at certain events as she has Differences of Sexual Development (DSD), and is barred from running distances between 400m and one mile, under World Athletics, as she has a rare physiology that gives her an unfair competitive advantage.
There was more joy for the host nation as Jackline Chepkoech set a personal best time of nine minutes 27.40 seconds to win the women’s 3,000m steeplechase ahead of Ethiopia’s Zerfe Wondemagegn (9:35.40) and compatriot Faith Cherotich (9:44.76).
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Miné de Klerk claimed silver in the women’s discus throw with an attempt of 53.50 metres behind eventual winner Violetta Ignatyeva an authorized neutral athlete (ANA). De Klerk’s throw also saw her set both an African and national U20 record.
Another South African Kyle Rademeyer won bronze in the men’s pole vault with a jump of 5.30 metres behind Matvei Volkov of Belarus (5.45 metres) and Juho Alasaari of Finland (5.35 metres).
There was another bronze for Africa, this time in the men’s javelin throw for Nigerian Chinecherem Nnamdi who threw 74.48 metres. The event was won by Janne Läspä of Finland who threw 76.46 metres with Artur Felfner of Ukraine second with 76.32 metres.
At the end of the third day of competition, Kenya leads the medal table with six medals; three gold, one silver and two bronze.
Ethiopia has won a total of five medals (one gold, three silver and one bronze) while South Africa has won four medals (one gold, two silver and one bronze). Finland (three) has won fewer medals than both Ethiopia and South Africa but has claimed more gold medals than them (two).
Follow our socials Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Google News.
