Jaheel Hyde on his way to 400m hurdles gold at the IAAF World Junior Championships Oregon 2014 (© Getty Images)
Reigning champion Jaheel Hyde has been named on the Jamaican team for Bydgoszcz, but having qualified for the Olympics at their national championships in Kingston earlier this month, the 19-year-old may well forego this championships to prepare for the Games in Rio.
If Hyde does choose to compete, then he will be an overwhelming favourite to retain his title. He first shot to fame on an international level when winning the world U18 110m hurdles title back in 2013, but has been even more effective since switching to the longer event.
At the age of 17, he won the 400m hurdles title at the IAAF World Junior Championships Oregon 2014, running a Jamaican U20 record of 49.29. Last year he lowered that to 49.01 and at the national championships in Kingston last month, he dipped below 49 seconds for the first time, running 48.81 to finish second.
Brazil’s Mikael de Jesus is the second fastest U20 in the world this year, having clocked a South American U20 record of 49.62 in Sao Bernardo do Campo in April. He warmed up for Bydgoszcz by finishing fourth at the senior Brazilian Championships at the same venue earlier this month, running 50.78.
The US challenge is headed by Taylor McLaughlin, who has run faster than 50 seconds on four occasions this year, his fastest clocking the 49.73 he ran in the semifinals of the NCAA Championships in Eugene.
Yoshiro Watanabe is another worthy of respect. The Japanese athlete dipped below 50 seconds for the first time in May when running 49.96 in Yokohama, and last month he won the Asian U20 title in Ho Chi Minh in 50.86. He will be joined in Bydgoszcz by teammate Tatsuhiro Yamamoto, who should also be in medal contention after his 50.96-second clocking last month in Hiratsuka.
France’s European junior champion Victor Coroller heads the European challenge, having clocked a season’s best of 50.47 in Colmar last month.
Cathal Dennehy for the IAAF
