Golden end to a successful campaign for Australia at the World Athletics U20 Championships

It was a golden end for Australia at the World Athletics U20 Championships with New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) high jumper Izobelle Louison-Roe winning a long coveted gold medal.

Louison-Roe went into the final as favourite and was in control of the competition, jumping 1.92m to win the gold she has been dreaming about for years.

It follows a silver medal from Peru, making Louison-Roe one of our most decorated athletes when it comes to the World Junior U20 Championships.

“It was such an exciting competition, one of the moments of my life,” she said.

“It was an incredible feeling when I won.

“I was crying so much I couldn’t keep it together, it was amazing.

Out of the team of 73, it was Louison-Roe who had the most attention and pressure to perform in the buildup to Eugene, so there were also tears of relief.

“A couple of times the expectations I think did get to me to do better than last time, but I pushed it all away and just had fun,” she said.

The other medal for Australia on the final day of competition was silver for 4x400m women’s team.

The team of Shari Hurdman, Xanthee Watts, Charlotte McAuliffe, Alice Hill ran 3:31.39, coming second to the powerful United States team. 

It was the second medal for Watts and McAuliffe, after they won a bronze in the mixed 4x400m relay earlier in the meet.

In total Australia won two gold, three silver and one bronze medal in Eugene.

Only twice has Australia got more medals at a World Athletics U20 Championships,  in Sydney in 1996 and in Peru in 2024. 

Only once has Australia won two gold medals, the other time also in Peru two years ago. 

RESULTS DAY 5

Gold High Jump Izobelle Louison-Roe 1.92m

Silver 4x400m Australia women 3:31.39 (Shari Hurdman, Xanthee Watts, Charlotte McAuliffe, Alice Hill)

4th Men 4x400m Australia men 3:04.84 (Seth Kennedy, Fred Hamblin, Dylan Hall, Chase Grant)

4th Women 4x100m Australia women 44.01 (Thewbelle Philp, Zara Hagan, Grace Crowe, Emilia Reed)

8th 1500m Kieran Shepherd 3:42.25 PB

13th Discus Throw Elijah Wilson 56.47m

14th 1500m Milla Roberts 4:29.35 

By Luke Dennehy with David Tarbotton, Australian Athletics

Photo: World Athletics