Malachi Austin focused on success at World U20 Championships

Jul 19, 2024 Sports

Malachi Austin will be one to watch at this year’s World U20 Championships in Peru

– Guyanese excited to compete in the highly anticipated 400m event

By Rawle Toney

Kaieteur Sports – Guyanese athlete Malachi Austin is set to make his mark at the World Athletics U20 Championship scheduled for August 27 – 31 in Lima, Peru, where the budding star aims to secure a podium finish in the highly anticipated 400m event.

Austin has already established himself as a standout not only in Guyana but also across the Commonwealth, the Caribbean, and South America.

The 17-year-old achieved second place at last year’s Youth Commonwealth Games, clinched the CARIFTA Games U20 400m title this year, and most recently won the 400m at the recently concluded South American U20 Championship in Athletics.

All eyes will be on Austin at the World U20 Championship where he will compete against a star-studded field in Peru.

“I know the competition will be tough, but I’m excited,” Austin shared with Kaieteur News, looking forward to facing off against athletes like the USA’s Quincy Wilson, Nigeria’s Samuel Ogazi, South Africa’s Udeme Okon, and Jamaica’s Marcinho Rose.

Austin’s competitors, though juniors, currently hold some of the top 20 fastest times globally this year in the Men’s 400m.

Wilson, in particular, will be competing in the Men’s 4x400m relay at the Paris Olympics after finishing sixth in the USA’s Olympic trials with a time of 44.94 seconds in June.

Austin and Ogazi have history, having met in the finals of the Men’s 400m at the Youth Commonwealth Games in Trinidad and Tobago. Ogazi clocked 46.99 seconds to win the event, with Austin finishing second at 47.97 seconds.

Rose, who finished second to Austin in the Men’s 400m at the CARIFTA Games, pushed the Guyanese athlete to his best performance of 46.35 seconds, beating the Jamaican’s 46.59 seconds in the finals.

This marked Rose’s first defeat in the 400m this year after winning in his previous eight races.

Malachi Austin

“The work that I need to put in will be hard, to be honest. I have to put in some work on my start, considering these guys are running 44 (seconds), which is extremely fast for their age,” Austin said.

Austin is mindful that all eyes will be on the 16-year-old American, Wilson, at the Championships, given his current status with the fastest U18 time in the world, while Austin’s impressive time of 46.35 seconds, achieved at the CARIFTA Games, ranks him fifth globally.

“The work has to be hard, day-in, day-out; I need no breaks right now, its just about staying focus and putting in the extra work,” the Running Brave Club athlete boldly stated.

Meanwhile, Tianna Springer, one of the top-ranked U18 athletes worldwide in the 400m category, is set to return to Peru.

Springer recently secured third place in the women’s 400m at the South American U20 Championship in Athletics last weekend.

Also joining her are Narissa McPherson (200m/400m), Nalica Glen (200m), Ezekiel Newton (100m/200m), Jermaine Crummewing (100m), and CARIFTA 100m U17 champion Athaleyah Hinckson, all of whom have successfully qualified.

Hinckson, who recently won the South American U20 Champion title in the women’s 100m, made history as the first Guyanese female to achieve this accolade at the prestigious event.

Guyana’s participation in the World Athletics U20 Championship has been sporadic since its inception in 1986.

The most recent competitor was Berbician Revon Williams, who contested the 400m at the 2021 Championship in Nairobi, Kenya.

Throughout its history at the U20 World Championships, Guyana has earned just one medal, thanks to Kadecia Baird, who finished second in the women’s 400m, clocking an impressive 51.04s.

She finished behind the USA’s Ashley Spencer and ahead of another American, Erika Rucker.

Baird’s outstanding performance remains the fastest U20 time achieved by a South American athlete.

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