The US team blazed to the fastest U20 mixed 4x400m in history, running 3:15.31 in front of a passionate home crowd at the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26 on Wednesday, August 6, 2026.
At the end of an action-packed first day of competition at Hayward Field, the quartet of Joshua Shelton, Taylor-Nicole Overton, Jaelen Hunter and Olivia Harris combined to take more than two seconds off the previous best of 3:17.69 achieved by another US team at the 2022 edition of the World U20 Championships in Cali.
Linda Botková took Czechia from sixth to second with a powerful anchor leg, crossing the finish line in 3:18.16, while the Australian team clinched bronze in 3:18.45 – both national U20 records that respectively move them to third and fourth on the world U20 all-time list.
Frankline Kibet wins world U20 5000m title
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Frankline Kibet and Uganda’s Charity Cherop enjoyed a golden return to the USA. Kibet added a world U20 5000m title to the world U20 cross-country crown he claimed in Tallahassee in January, while Cherop clinched her first global gold to go with her world U20 cross-country bronze from Tallahassee and the 5000m silver she secured in Lima two years ago.
Kibet clocked 13:28.27 to lead a Kenyan top two ahead of Nehemiah Kipngeno (13:30.09), while Cherop ran 15:07.91 to win ahead of Ethiopia’s Shito Gumi (15:07.91).
“On behalf of the Athletics Kenya Junior Holiday Camps Initiative, I congratulate both athletes on this outstanding achievement. Their success is a powerful reflection of what is possible when young talent is identified early, nurtured with purpose and given the right opportunities to grow,” said Athletics Kenya Youth Director Barnaba Korir.
“This remarkable result reaffirms our commitment to youth development and strengthens our belief that the next generation of Kenyan champions is already here. Congratulations, Frankline and Nehemiah. You have made Kenya proud and inspired countless young athletes to dream bigger and work harder,” he added.
Brazil’s Alessandro Borges managed the throw of his life to win the shot put. With 20.35m, he got the gold ahead of Korea’s Park Si-hoon (20.31m).
