Tia Jones on her way to equalling the world U20 100m hurdles record in Clovis (© Kirby Lee)
The women’s 100m hurdles could be one of the highest-quality events in Bydgoszcz.
Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan leads the 2016 world U20 list with her 12.83 clocking from April, which was aided by El Paso’s useful altitude. The UTEP student backed up that performance at last month’s NCAA Championships, clocking 12.98 in the heats and a wind-assisted 12.79 to finish second in the final.
Meanwhile, 15-year-old Tia Jones ran a sensational 12.84 in the heats of the US Junior Championships, recording the fastest ever time by a youth athlete over the senior-height barriers. Somewhat surprisingly, though, Jones was beaten in the final by Alexis Duncan, 13.04 to 13.05.
That loss will no doubt fire up Jones, but Duncan has motivation of her own, too.
At the IAAF World Youth Championships Cali 2015, Duncan had been comfortably the fastest through the rounds, coming within 0.01 of the world U18 best in the semifinals. But she hit the third hurdle in the final and finished seventh.
It won’t be just a three-way battle, though. European junior champion Elvira Herman clocked a national U20 record of 13.03 at last week’s European Championships. The Belarusian has been consistent too, which counts for a lot in what can be an unpredictable event.
European junior bronze medallist Laura Valette leads the French challenge. Her compatriot Sarah Koutouan also looks capable of reaching the final.
Other contenders include Ecuador’s world U18 champion Maribel Caicedo, Jamaica’s Rushelle Burton and Britain’s Mollie Courtney.
Jon Mulkeen for the IAAF
