The World Junior (U20) Athletics Championships, held from August 18 to 22 in Nairobi, Kenya, witnessed the breaking of four U20 world records, 15 championship records, 11 junior continental records, 68 national records of the category and 10 senior national records.
This first world event of World Athletics organized on the African continent, allowed Africa to achieve great performances from sprint to long distance and field events.
So the future of the world sprint rests on Botswana's Letsile TEBOGO (10''19) and South Africa's Benjamin Richardson (10''28) who signed a brilliant double in 100m. Nigeria’s Udodi Chudi ONWUZURIKE (winner of 200m in 20’21) can also have the same ambitions in the sprint. Namibians Christine Mboma (21''84 in 200m African Record) and Beatrice Masilingi (11''39 in 100m and 22''18 in 200m) are the worthy heirs of their compatriot Frankie Fredericks who was part of the best sprinters in the world.
South Africa got back to its former glory by winning Gold in women’s Pole Vault with Reinstorf RSA (4.15 AFR REC U20) and the Bronze in the men with Kyle Rademayer (5.30). Since OKKert Brits, no African has reached the world level in this event. South Africa’s Miné DE KLERK (53.50 AR U20) won the Silver medal in Discus. Nigeria, by Chinecherem NNAMDI (74.48) left the Men's Javelin Final with the bronze medal. He is on the steps of Kenya’s Julius Yego, world champion and Olympic medalist. Kenya and Ethiopia, faithful to the tradition keep on dominating in long distance events, like the successful triple in the 800m (Women), 3000m (Men and Women) and 5000m (Men). The last two days have allowed Africa to boost its harvest of medals in the 1500m (Women), 3000m steeplechase (H), 5000m (Women), 4x100m and 4x400m relays (Men and Women) .
Following this counting of titles cropped hard by young Africans, it is now time to proceed with tailor-made miscalculations to curb the radiance of African athletics. The two evils which threaten the first Olympic discipline are: hyperandrogenism and the spoil of our hopes.
The voice of Africa must be heard in the meeting rooms where decisions are made at World Athletics level. With a perfect organization and quality performances on African soil, Kenya has inflicted a stinging reverse to all these countries which boycotted the event by evoking a pandemic situation. The next edition will be hosted in 2022 in Cali, Colombia.
African medals
1 Kenya: 8 Gold, 1 Silver, 7 Bronze
3 Nigeria: 4 or 0 silver 3 br
4 Ethiopia: 3 or 7 silver 2 br
6 RSA: 3 or 2 silver 4 br
7 Botswana: 3 or 1 silver
11 Namibia: 1 or 3 silver
27 Algeria: 1 silver
32 Eritrea: 1 br
32 Uganda: 1 br
