Report23 Jul 2016


Report: women's 200m – IAAF World U20 Championships Bydgoszcz 2016

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Edidiong Ofnime Odiong wins the 200m at the IAAF World U20 Championships Bydgoszcz 2016 (© Getty Images)

Propelled by an impressive homestretch run, Edidiong Ofonime Odiong stormed to a dominant victory in the women's 200m, the first global U20 title in the sprints for Bahrain.

Out strong, the 19-year-old made up the stagger on most of the field just midway through the bend before she seemingly ricocheted off the turn and into the straight. Odiong added to her lead with every stride over the final 50 metres before reaching the line in 22.84, shattering her previous personal best and national U20 record of 23.06.

"I started well but I wasn't sure if the others were going to catch me," said Odiong, who finished fifth at the World Youth Championships in 2013 and sixth at the 2014 World U20 Championships, both over 400m, competing for her native Nigeria. "My opponents were the best junior runners in the world so you never know what will happen."

Next up for Odiong are the Olympic Games in Rio. "I will keep training and doing my best to make the final," she said.

Hers was just the second gold medal ever at these championships for Bahrain, coming two years after Ruth Jebet won the 3000m steeplechase in Oregon.

Evelyn Rivera of Colombia, who was fifth in the 100m here in Bydgoszcz, closed well to finish second in 23.21, knocking 0.05 from her previous career best.

Estelle Raffai of France snuck by the field in lane nine to finish third in 23.48, one place better than her outing at last year's IAAF World Youth Championships in Cali.

In a tight battle to round out the top five, Jenae Ambrose of Bahamas edged Taylor Bennett of the US by just 0.02 in 23.53.

Sada Williams of Barbados, the world U20 leader at 22.61 and pre-event favourite, tumbled to track just beyond the bend’s halfway point, and didn’t finish.

Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

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