Beacroft, Williams selected for U20 World Championships

A record team of 75 athletes – including New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) athletes Isaac Beacroft and Daniel Williams – have been selected to compete for Australia at the World Athletics U20 Championships in the United States of America in August.

The team will compete at one of the most prestigious venues in the world for athletics, Hayward Field at the University of Oregon in Eugene.

The list includes U20 world record holder in the men’s 200m Gout Gout (QLD, Dianne Sheppard), who is going back to try to win a  gold medal after winning a silver medal in the 200m at the last World U20 Athletics Championships in Lima, Peru in 2024.

Gout is also in the Australian squad for the men’s 4x400m relay team, stepping up to the distance to be part of what will be a very strong squad. 

“I’m really excited to get out there at World Athletics Under 20’s in Eugene, Oregon,” Gout said. “I know it’s a great stadium and place to run fast, and I feel confident I’ll be ready to step up and make Australia proud.  

“I’ll be competing in the 200m but I’m also excited to join in the 4x400m on the last day.” 

Izobelle Louison-Roe (NSW, Karen Roe), will also be wanting to go one step better, after winning silver in Peru in the high jump.

She has entered both the high jump and the triple jump and will decide what event she competes in later in the year before the event. 

“It’s so exciting, because the track we are competing in is so amazing, the facilities are incredible,” Louison-Roe said. “I think there are going to be huge crowds and enthusiasm from the fans, especially as I think athletics has been on the rise all around the world which is so great to see.” 

Race walker Isaac Beacroft (NSW, David Beacroft) will be coming from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow where he will be making his debut for Australia, to Eugene to compete in the 5000km walk on the track.

He is relishing the challenge of racing the double, the only Australian named to do so, so far.

“I think I’ve got pretty high expectations of myself in both races, and I don’t want to leave that short amount of time in between each event as an excuse for my performances,” he said.

“I want to focus and do my best in the Commonwealth Games, and as soon as I do that I’ll turn my focus to the World U 20 Juniors and really work hard to do well there, where I think I have unfinished business.”

The Australian Athletics Junior (Underage) Championships were recently held in Brisbane, which doubled as selection trials for the World Athletics U20 Championships. 

“With 75 athletes selected around the country, this is our biggest team in history of the World Athletics U20 World Championships,” said Australian Athletics General Manager – High Performance, Andrew Faichney.

 “These Championships will be an incredible experience for our best young athletes to learn what it takes to compete on the world stage as they begin their International careers.

 “With so much depth in the team, it’s a very exciting time at Australian Athletics and we look forward to competing with the best juniors in the world at such a prestigious venue as Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.”

The team will be hoping to replicate the incredible performances of the Australian athletes at the last Championships in Lima, Peru, where the team came home with 15 medals. 

That included gold medals for Delta Amidzovski (NSWIS) in the long jump and the Mixed 4x400m Relay team. 

There are 37 men and 38 women competing in Oregon. 

The World Athletics U20 Championships run from August 5-9, 2026.

AUSTRALIAN TEAM FOR THE 2026 WORLD ATHLETICS U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS 

Men:

100m:  Uwezo Lubenda (QLD, Gary Cairns), Zavier Peacock (NSW, Michael Psarakis & Jack Edwards) 

200m: Gout Gout (QLD, Di Sheppard) Zavier Peacock (NSW, Michael Psarakis & David Peacock), 

400m: Chase Grant (NSW, Melissa Smith), Seth Kennedy (QLD, Brett Robinson)

800m:  Harry Halleen (NSW, Gary Howard), Daniel Williams (NSW, Andrew Rollings),

1500m: Alexander Cameron-Smith (VIC, Peter Burke), Kieran Shepherd (ACT, Des Proctor),

3000m: Charles Barrett (VIC, Charlotte Wilson), Matthew McLachlan (NSW, Ben Liddy)

5000m: Charles Barrett (VIC, Charlotte Wilson), Lucas Chis (VIC, Ben St Lawrence)

3000m Steeplechase: Jonathan Neethling (VIC, Charlotte Wilson)

110m Hurdles: Oliver Facer (NSW, Steve and Catherine Soroijevic), Harrison Purcell (QLD, Stacey Taurima)

400m Hurdles: Will Tait (NSW, Terry West), Ethan Williams (QLD,Peter Gentz)

5000m Racewalk: Isaac Beacroft (NSW, David Beacroft), Owen Toyne (ACT, David Beacroft)

Long Jump: Mason McGroder (NSW, Matthew Waide), Luke Vrataric (NSW, Leo Dulay)

Triple Jump: Lian Anagnostopoulos (NSW, Leo Dulay) Daniel Okerenyang (NSW, Greg Wiencke)

Discus Throw: Elijah Wilson (ACT, Rowan Vergano)

Decathlon: Xavier Davie (TAS, Luke Sulzberger), Wyatt Hill (WA, Grant Ward),

Hammer Throw: Connor Hopgood (QLD, Matthew Symonds), Xavier Leauma (TAS, Rachel Hosie),

4x400m Relay:  Gout Gout (QLD, Di Sheppard ), Chase Grant (NSW, Melissa Smith), Fred Hamblin (NSW, Rob Marks ) Seth Kennedy (QLD, Brett Robinson), Dashiell Muir (VIC, Shaun Basset), Dylan Ruming (NSW, Kate Lynch) Terrell Thorne (QLD, Christopher Dale)

4x100m Relay: Paul Ehioghae (WA, Greg Knott)  Kelechi Ekwomadu (SA, Russel Hansen), Dylan Hall (NSW, Jack Darcy), Josiah John (WA, Andrew Iselin),  Hugh Kabengele (VIC Catherine Woodruff),     Uwezo Lubenda (Gary Cairns, QLD), Zavier Peacock (NSW, Michael Psarakis & Jack Edwards)

WOMEN

100m:  Zara Hagan (QLD, Christopher Dale), Maya Taber (NSW, Roger Fabri), 

200m: Zara Hagan (QLD, Christopher Dale) Amaya Mearns (QLD, Andrew Iselin)

400m: Alice Hill (NSW, Tim Eschebach), Shari Hurdman (NSW, Steve Perry)

800m: Ivy Boothroyd (NSW, Ned Brophy)  Emma Fryga (QLD, Roy Rankin)

1500m: Mia Gray (VIC, Jeff Riseley), Milla Roberts (QLD, Jayden Russ),

3000m: Imogen Baker (VIC, Peter Schuwalow), Eliza Lawton (NSW, Vaughan Lawton),

5000m: Imogen Baker (VIC, Peter Schuwalow), Libby Mantay (QLD, Sharon Iselin)

3000m Steeplechase: Helena Butler (QLD, Melanie Black)Tessa Ebert (SA, Matthew Clarke)

100m Hurdles: Jamison Harding (VIC, Murray Harding), Tammin Lampret (NSW, Matthew Wade and Angus McEntrye)

400m Hurdles: Shakira Harding (VIC, Murray Harding) Maiya Hewitt (NSW, Joshua Hewitt)

5000m Racewalk: Sophie Polkinghorne (NSW, David Beacroft), Zoe Woods (NSW, David Beacroft)

Pole Vault:  Jamison Harding (VIC, Mark Stewart), Rangi Khushnoor (VIC, Bill Georgantas) 

High Jump: Izobelle Louison-Roe (NSW, Karen Roe)

Triple Jump: Izobelle Louison-Roe (NSW, Karen Roe)

Long Jump: Geena Davy (VIC, Jason Hodson)

Shot put: Manaia Coulter (NSW, David Bruce) Lauren Kelly (WA, Dale Stevenson),

Discus Throw: Riley-Jay Henry-Purcell (QLD, Lukas Cannan), Chelsy Wayne (NSW, Rowan Vergano)

Heptathlon: Bailey Van Den Broek (TAS, Simon Bennett) Isabella Wing (TAS, Wim Vaessen)

4x400m Relay: Samara Bond (NSW, Katie Edwards),  Alice Hill (NSW, Tim Eschebach), Shari Hurdman (NSW, Stev Perry), Naomi Krajancic (NSW, Gary Temple) Xanthee Watts (QLD, Clinton Louis Watts), Charlotte McAuliffe (SA, Nik Hagicostas)

4x100m Relay: Grace Crowe (VIC, Peter O’Dwyer),   Mackenzie Estlick (VIC, Gerard Keating), Zara Hagan (QLD, Christopher Dale), Amaya Mearns (QLD, Andrew Iselin), Leah O’Brien (WA, Braiden Clarke).  Thewbelle Philp (QLD, Leanne Hines Smith), Emilia Reed (WA, Aaron Bresland),   Maya Taber (NSW, Roger Fabri)

Luke Dennehy, Australian Athletics