by Perri Williams
Lima, Peru is the venue for this year’s world u20 championships. Athletes from all over the world have descended upon the Peruvian capital in the last few days, in a bid to claim world titles. Some exciting competitions are expected with standards of the u20 athletes reaching new heights in the past year. Ireland have a team of fourteen athletes who will compete across various events from August 27th through to August 31st, including two relay teams. Many of the Irish team have already experienced podium positions at European u18 and u20 levels.
Irish Senior and European u20 Long Jump champion Elizabeth Ndudi (Dundrum South Dublin) is currently ranked number three in the world and is a serious contender for a medal. Ndudi who moved from Dublin to France aged 11, currently attends the University of Illinois. In April of this year she broke the Irish senior long jump record with a leap of 6.68m. Ndudi will face stiff competition from American Sophia Beckman, the world number one who has jumped 6.86 last May. Ndudi will kick start her championships on day 1 with the qualification rounds. The final taking place the following day.
The 2022 European u18 silver medalist, Fintan Dewhirst (Tir Chonaill AC) is one of two Irish athletes who will compete in the 400m hurdles. Dewhirst has a best of 51.19 from the AAI open in May of this year. In June he finished second behind Thomas Barr amid atrocious conditions at the National Senior Track and Field. Dewhirst is currently ranked 5th in Europe but will have to run a personal best to make the final. He is joined by David Davitt (Clonliffe Harriers) who secured his qualification in Belgium a month ago. With a PB of 51.48 Davitt is ranked 7th in Europe. To have two athletes in this event at this level is promising for the future of Irish long hurdles. Both athletes will also take part in the relays.
Lake District AC athlete Oisin Joyce has a lot to look forward to. A consistent performer who finished 4th in the u18 Europeans in 2022 and 6th in last years u20 European’s, Joyce heads into this year’s World Championships ranked in 7th place in the World. His personal best is 73.72 which he set in Mannheim at the end of June. A championship performer, he is within striking distance of a medal chance.
Sean Doggett (Athenry) made the Irish headlines this summer when running an astonishing personal best over 400m at the Belfast Milers Meet in May. His 46.71 was enough to see him make his senior debut for Ireland, when he formed part of the Irish 4x400m relay at the European Championships in Rome. Doggett has also been named on the men’s and mixed 4x400m relay.
Sean Aigboboh (Tallaght) continues the strong tradition of Tallaght sprinting as he is in the line up for the men’s u20 100m. Aigbohoh ran 10.39 to finish 3rd at the National senior championships in June and is coached by Daniel Kilgallon, who also coaches Israel Ollatunde. The young Tallaght AC man is hot on the heals of the fastest man in Ireland.
There are just two middle distance athletes nominated as part of the team. Lughaidh Mallon (Lagan Valley) has qualified for the 1,500m and Jonas Stafford (UCD) the 3,000m. Mallon has steadily improved under the guidance of Mark Kirk and has shown good promise with his 3.43 from Toothing a month ago. World number one Niels Laros (Netherland) has opted not to compete and called it a season after his participation in the Olympic Games final. The challenge for gold is headed by Australia’s Cameron Myers (3.33.30) and Ethiopia’s Abdisa Fayisa (3.32.70). Jonas Stafford finished tenth in the European u20 Cross Country last December and ran the 3000m qualifying time in January. Since then he has suffered setback after setback. While he has been nominated for the 3000m, this was subject to confirmation of his fitness.
Ireland will have two relay teams taking part: the men’s 4x400m and a mixed 4x400m. Sean Doggett, David Davitt, Fintan Dewhirst, Stephen Mannion (South Galway), Conor Kelly (Derry Track) and Adam Courtney (Ballymena and Antrim) are nominated on the mens 4x400m. Kelly taking his spot after his superb medal at the u18 European’s over 400m and his u20 national championship victory earlier this month.
The mixed team will be selected from Davitt, Doggett, Kelly along with Niamh Murray (Bray Runners), and Monaghan pair Daisy Walker (Monaghan Phoenix) and Amy Jo Kiearns (Oriel). Walker coming through the season nicely to take silver in the national u20 400m earlier this month. Maria Zakharenko (Kilcoole) is the non-travelling reserve.
All the action call be followed on;
https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-u20-championships/lima24