Three more medals for Novuna GB & NI on Day four of World U20s

It was a super Saturday for the Novuna Great Britain & Northern Ireland team at the World Athletics U20 Championships as they stormed to three medals on day four at Hayward Field to take their overall tally to four.

Divine Iheme (Radley Athletic Club, Nkiruka Iheme), Savannah Morgan-McKenzie (Rugby & Northampton AC, Matthew Thomas), Matthew Ajayi (Watford Harriers, Peter Griffiths) and Sophie Thomas (Dunfermline Track & Field Club, Agustin Osorio) delivered an amazing performance in the final of the mixed 4x100m relay as the quartet took silver in a personal best time of 41.38 seconds.

“I was just trying to get out strong and shoot for the line,” said Morgan-McKenzie, while Thomas continued: “We have practised a lot, so it is just about executing at our best level, and we did.”

Shaikira King (Wreake & Soar Valley, Jon Bigg) and Otis Poole (Yate & District AC, Joy Bray) then both won bronze within minutes of each other in the women’s 800m final and the men’s high jump final respectively.

King pulled out all of the stops as she claimed a podium place in a time of 2:03.52 while compatriot Poole finished third on countback after a personal best jump of 2.21m.

“Everyone has the same hopes and same level; it was consistency that separated us all,” said Poole. “I knew I was up there as one of them, and I ended up doing it. I just wish it was a gold because I thought the bar had stayed on [during my final jump].

“In the high jump, in between jumps, you see your team in the crowd cheering you on. It has been an amazing environment.”

European U18 champion Samuel James (Kingston AC and Poly Harriers, James Wild) finished fifth in the high jump after he cleared 2.17m.

Earlier in the day, Iheme, Mayo Alabi (Birchfield Harriers, Andy Paul), Ethan Franklin (Woodford Green AC with Essex Ladies, Gladys Bird) and James Arminio (Gloucester AC, Justin Smith) booked their spot in the men’s 4x100m final after winning their heat in a time of 39.38 seconds.

In the women’s 4x400m relay, Caitlin Hadfield (Derby Athletic Club, Keith Bullock, Juda Simpson), Shiloh Omotosho (Basildon AC, Sarah Robinson), Noa Chodokufa (Woodford Green AC with Essex Ladies, Paul Franklin) and Camiah Bennett (Coventry Godiva Harriers, James Wright) ensured Great Britain & Northern Ireland’s safe passage to the final after clocking a season’s best time of 3:33.82.

Katie Pye (Aldershot Farnham & District, Mike Woods) put in a valiant effort on her way to a 16th-place finish in the women’s 3000m final, Daniel Emegbor (Harrow AC, Rohan Samuel) claimed seventh place in the men’s long jump final, and Rayhan Mourtada (Blackheath & Bromley Harriers AC, John Blackie) finished fourth in his men’s 400m hurdle semi-final in personal best time of 50.59 seconds.

In the women’s triple jump, Qi-Chi Ukpai (Blackheath & Bromley Harriers AC, John Herbert) placed 10th in Group A with a best jump of 12.79m, while Jacob McKinlay (Glasgow Jaguars T&F Club) came ninth in Group B in the men’s discus throw (1.75kg).

And after two days of men’s decathlon action, Samuel Newton (Tonbridge AC, David Hull) finished 20th with 7110 points.