In the men’s 100m final, 15-year-old Gift Bright produced an outstanding performance, clocking 10.28 seconds to break the Youth Olympic Games record. In the women’s event, compatriot Rosemary Nwankwo also struck gold, crossing the finish line in 11.16 seconds. Her impressive time, however, was not eligible for record purposes due to the wind conditions.
Patry Valdez, who won the South American Youth Games last month with a mark of 75.50m, secured gold in Dakar with a comfortable victory. The triumph marked Ecuador’s second-ever athletics gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games. In the men’s hammer throw, making its debut at the fourth edition of the Games, the remaining medals also went to African nations.
China’s rising talent Keyi Zhang dominated the women’s 100m hurdles, setting a new personal best of 13.17 seconds over the 76.2cm U18 hurdles. Her performance also established a new Games record and secured China’s first athletics medal of the competition. The victory added to Zhang’s recent successes at the Asian Youth Games and Asian U20 Championships over the past year. She finished an impressive 0.4 seconds ahead of her nearest rival.
French pole vaulter Julie Bourgis, who claimed the European title in Rieti this summer, comfortably secured another victory, clearing 4.20m. In the discus throw, Cyprus’ promising athlete Marina Hadjicosta took gold with a 53.20m throw. Meanwhile, Spain’s Gift Okunrobo, who returned home with double bronze from last summer’s European U18 Championships, won a closely contested triple jump final by just two centimetres.
Kenya was another nation to celebrate two gold medals on the opening day. Enock Tuitoek prevailed in a fiercely contested men’s 3000m, crossing the line in 8:07.69 after a dramatic final stretch. In the women’s 2000m steeplechase, Abigael Kosgei claimed victory in a personal best of 6:30.24. Ethiopian rivals finished second in both events.
Across the 10 finals contested on the opening day of athletics, athletes from 22 different nations stood on the podium. France was the only country to win three medals, while the day also saw two new Youth Olympic Games records set.
