Source : ABC NEWS
Australian high jumper Izobelle Louison-Roe has won gold at the World Athletics U20 Championships.
The 19-year-old came into the championships in Eugene, Oregon as the leading under-20 jumper this year, twice hitting a personal best of 1.95 metres.
She would not need a personal best to win gold on Sunday (local time), with a jump of 1.92m enough to be crowned champion, adding to the silver she won at Lima during the 2024 championships.
Hungary’s Lilianna Bátori claimed silver and Spaniard Aitana Alonso won bronze, both jumping 1.90 metres.
Louison-Roe was not the only Australian to medal on Sunday, with the 4x400m relay team securing a silver.
The Aussie quartet of Shari Hurdman, Xanthee Watts, Charlotte McAuliffe and Alice Hill ran a 3:31.39 to finish second behind the United States.
“Honestly, it’s surreal to just go out there and get the job done,” McAuliffe said post-race.
“I think we knew coming into this what we were all capable of, and we knew a medal was definitely possible.
“To go out and do the job is just amazing.“
Australia’s men’s 4x400m relay team — Seth Kennedy, Fred Hamblin, Dylan Hall and Chase Grant — came agonisingly close to also winning a medal, missing out on the podium by four-hundredths of a second.
Grant produced a brilliant final leg of 44.85 seconds, but was just pipped at the line by the French runner.
The women’s 4x100m team — Thewbelle Philp, Zara Hagan, Grace Crowe and Emilia Reed — were also pipped at the line and placed fourth.
Kieran Shepherd ran a personal best of 3:42.25 to place eighth in the men’s 1,500m, while Milla Roberts overcame a mid-race fall to be 14th in the women’s 1,500m.
Elijah Wilson placed 13th in the men’s discus final with a best throw of 56.47m.
