Nordic endurance dominates Lima on Thursday but Ed Baird cruises to bronze to claim Britain’s first medal at the 2024 Under-20 Championships.
Norway’s status as an endurance sports powerhouse continued in Lima, Peru, this week when Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen won the world under-20 title in the 3000m.
The 18-year-old became the first European to win gold in the men’s 3,000m, 5,000m or 10,000m in the 38-year history of these world junior championships.
Previous winners of these long-distance titles include Haile Gebrselassie in 1992 and Daniel Komen in 1994, although the 3000m is only part of the program from 2021.
Within a month, which saw a fellow Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen broke Komen’s 3000m world record with a time of 7:17.55. In Poland, Fjeld Halvorsen looks set to follow in his footsteps.
Two years ago, at the European Under-18 Championships, he finished runner-up to Dutchman Nils Laros in the 1500m and 3000m. But in Lima on Thursday (August 29) he ran 8:20.56 to win a slower, tactical race ahead of Kenya’s Dennis Kipkoch (8:20.79) with Britain’s Ed Bird third (8:21.00).
Ed Baird, Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen, Dennis Kipkoech (World Athletics)
It was Britain’s first medal of the 2024 championships for Bird as he outpaced Ethiopia’s Ybeltal Gashahun to claim a podium place. The 19-year-old Briton also won bronze in the 3000m at the European Under-18 Championships, behind Laros and Fjeld Halvorsen two years ago.
“I’m getting into the shape of my life now, these last days and weeks have been great,” said Fjeld Halvorsen, who turns 19 next month. “I wanted to fight for the gold and that’s exactly what I did. I am grateful to everyone who helped me do this and to those who will help me go further.”
The bird said: “It was perfect. I said in my plan I would hang back, take the inside lane and relax. Every time the pace picked up, I just found the gap to go through.
“I just kept going and going until we got to two laps and I was brought back. When the bell rang, I didn’t pick it up, I waited, I started walking with that straight back and didn’t stop walking.
Lourdes Gloria Manuel (world athletics)
In Lima, the women’s 400m title went to the Czech Republic’s Lourdes Gloria Manuel in 51.29 minutes as she convincingly held off Canada’s Diana Proctor (51.98) and USA’s Zaya Akins (52.00) as Britain’s Charlotte Henrich, 17, It was the 71st in 52.
Udeme Okon (centre) (World Athletics)
South Africa’s Udeme Okon won the men’s 400m in 45.69 as he edged out US duo Jayden Davis (46.08) and Sidi Njie (46.29).
Sembo Almayev (world athletics)
The women’s 3000m was introduced to the program in 2004 and Ethiopia’s Sembo Almayev broke Celliphine Chespol’s championship record in 9:12.71 on Thursday.
Uganda’s Lois Chekwemoy finished second in 9:18.84, while Kenyan Diana Chekwemoy earned the bronze medal in 9:29.84.
Tom Tercek (World Athletics)
In the field, Slovenia’s Tom Tersek, who is just 17 years old, won gold in the javelin with a last-round effort of 76.81m.
Ethan Olivier (World Athletics)
Iosif Kesidis of Cyprus won the men’s hammer with 82.80m, Ethan Olivier of New Zealand won the men’s triple jump with 17.01m, and American Molly Haywood won the women’s pole vault with 4.47m.
Molly Haywood (World Athletics)
Check out our new AW podcast here…
» Subscribe to AW Magazine here
The post Norway’s Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen wins world junior 3000m gold appeared first AW:.
