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Heart-breaking end to Malachi Austin’s medal hunt
Malachi Austin had a devastating end to his medal campaign at the World U20 Championships.
– Athaleyha Hinckson to compete in today’s women’s 200m
By Rawle Toney
Kaieteur Sports – Guyana’s 12-year medal drought at the World U20 Championship continues, as Malachi Austin was unable to finish his Men’s 400m semifinal race in Lima, Peru last evening.
With about 150 meters to go, Austin, who was in lane 5 and in a prime position to finish in the top two, suddenly pulled up. This would have secured him a spot in the finals—a moment of promise turned to heartbreak.
Reports reaching Kaieteur News reveal that Austin had earlier voiced concerns about a niggle in his leg during his warm-up.
Tianna Springer narrowly missed advancing in the women’s 400m
Despite the efforts of the Guyanese medical team, who did all they could to prepare the country’s medal hopeful, Austin was heartbreakingly forced to abandon the race. It was especially devastating given that many had seen him as a strong contender for gold.
Since the inception of the World U20 Championships in 1986, Guyana won just one medal—a silver in the women’s 400m, earned by Kadecia Baird at the 2012 U20 Championships in Spain.
Baird clocked an impressive 51.04s to finish second behind the USA’s Ashley Spencer, edging out another American, Erika Rucker.
Baird’s time remains the fastest U20 performance by a South American athlete.
In the semis, the South American U20 and CARIFTA Games U20 400m champion (Austin), cruised to a 46.92 seconds time to finish second in Heat 5 to book his place in the semi-finals.
The 17-year-old Austin, who also holds the Commonwealth Youth Games 400m silver medal, is the only Guyanese athlete so far to progress beyond the heats at the 20th edition of the U20 World Championship.
Tianna Springer, a back-to-back CARIFTA Games champion and Commonwealth Youth 400m champion, narrowly missed qualifying for the next round of the women’s 400m, finishing fourth with a time of 54.49 seconds.
Springer led the race but lost momentum in the final 20 meters.
Narissa McPherson, also competing in the women’s 400m, clocked 54.67 seconds, finishing sixth in Heat 2.
As the competition enters its third day, 16-year-old Athaleyha Hinckson, the 2024 CARIFTA U17 and South American U20 100m champion, will aim to redeem herself in the women’s 200m when she lines up in Heat 3.
Hinckson will be the only Guyanese athlete competing in the 200m.
In the women’s 100m, Hinckson clocked 12.01 seconds, finishing sixth in Heat 1, and did not advance to the next round.
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