Northeast FL sophomore captures first sprint title for Jamaica since 2000, with Das becoming first female gold medalist for India and Welteji setting women’s 800 championship record to win Ethiopia's first crown; Terry takes 100 silver and Manson 400 bronze for U.S.

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

There was plenty of history, and even more emotion, associated with several victories Thursday at the IAAF World U-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland.

Perhaps the one athlete who encompassed the best of both aspects was Jamaican sprinter Briana Williams.

Williams, a sophomore at Northeast High in Oakland Park, Fla., became the youngest athlete in meet history to win the women’s 100-meter crown, clocking a wind-legal 11.16 seconds to prevail against USC freshman Twanisha “Tee Tee” Terry in 11.19 at Ratina Stadium.

“Words can’t express how I feel because I’m so happy. I trained all season for this and I’m just glad I came out here with the victory,” Williams told the IAAF.

“This is my biggest competition, especially at the age of 16. But I feel this is just the start for me.”

Briana Williams won the title at 16 years, 113 days old, surpassing the record of 16 years, 296 days set in 2010 by Great Britain’s Jodie Williams. She became the first Jamaican to capture the women’s 100 title since Veronica Campbell-Brown in 2000 and the third overall.

Terry, a Miami Northwestern graduate, hadn’t competed against Williams since prevailing in a 100 showdown last February at the Spartan Invitational in Florida, with Miami Southridge graduate Symone Mason, now at Miami (Florida), beating them both.

Terry entered the meet as the World U-20 leader with a wind-legal 10.99 and set the meet record Thursday by clocking a wind-legal 11.03 in the semifinals.

“Overall this meet was a great success. I’m leaving with the championship record and that’s all that matters,” Terry said. “I’ll take a lot of lessons from here. The experience is one and the competition here is on another level.”

Although Terry is 19, perhaps the edge in international experience belonged Thursday to Williams, who has competed at the CARIFTA Games, the Kingston JN Racers Grand Prix and Jamaican Championships, the latter two meets against professionals.

“In Florida, it’s always raining, so I was prepared for this,” Williams said. “I knew the final was going to be hard, but I just ran it the way my coach told me to run it.”

Williams is coached by Ato Boldon, who captured World U-20 titles in the men’s 100 and 200 in 1992 representing Trinidad and Tobago. Ever since Williams set the age 15 global record by running 11.13 on March 17 at the Bob Hayes Invitational in Jacksonville, Boldon knew she was capable of competing against the world’s elite sprinters.

In the final, Williams let her legs do the talking, getting off to a stronger start than Terry and bronze medalist Kristal Awuah of Great Britain (11.37) and holding on for the victory.

“It’s a close relationship. He’s like a father figure to me,” Williams said. “We trained all season just for this competition, so it’s just been a long way and there are many more years to go.”

Hima Das expressed tears of joy for slightly different reasons than Williams in winning the women’s 400 title in 51.46.

Das was India’s first female athlete, and only the second individual overall joining men’s javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, to capture a gold medal in meet history.

In addition, Das is India’s first athlete to earn a World U-20 medal of any kind on the track. Seema Antil and Navjeet Kaur Dhillon had captured the country’s only women’s medals before Thursday in the discus by earning bronze in 2002 and 2014.

Romania’s Andrea Miklos ran a personal-best to secure silver, with Florida’s Taylor Manson leading with 100 meters remaining, before holding on for bronze for the U.S. in 52.28.

Manson was also overcome with emotion as she draped the American flag over her shoulders.

“It feels amazing. I always dreamed of this moment as a kid, so I’m just very blessed that I have a chance to experience this moment,” said Manson, who helped the U.S. secure a women’s 400 medal for the fourth consecutive meet.

“I ran the best that I could. Even though I didn’t PR, I’m still happy with my performance. Everybody back home is very supportive. I’m blessed to have the support system that I have. I did this for myself, for them and I’ve been working hard for this moment. I knew before I even got here that I’m coming home with more than one medal.”

Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji set the championship record by becoming the first female in meet history to eclipse the 2-minute barrier in the 800, clocking 1:59.74 to also secure her country’s first gold medal in the event.

Australia’s Carley Thomas earned silver in 2:01.13 and Switzerland’s Delia Sclabas not only set a national U-20 record by running 2:01.29, she also earned her country’s first medal in the event by taking bronze.

Kenya’s George Meitamei Manangoi followed his World U-18 title in the 1,500 last year in his home country by adding the World U-20 gold medal in 3:41.71, surging past silver medalist Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway (3:41.89) in the final 25 meters to give Kenya its third consecutive title and 11th overall. Justus Soget (3:42.14) earned bronze to give Kenya two medalists for the third straight championship and sixth occasion overall.

Jamaica became the third country in meet history to take the top two spots in the men’s 110 hurdles, joining Great Britain in 1986 and the U.S. in 2016, with LSU freshman Damion Thomas winning gold in 13.16 and Orlando Bennett capturing silver in 13.33. Japan’s Shunsuke Izumiya continued a great meet for his country by earning bronze in 13.38. Thomas equaled the World U-20 record over 39-inch hurdles June 23 in Kingston by clocking 12.99.

Amalie Svabikova became the first World U-20 women’s pole vault champion for the Czech Republic, clearing a national U-20 record 14-9.50 (4.21m). Sweden’s Lisa Gunnarsson, who competes at Virginia Tech, improved from a seventh-place finish in 2016 to capture silver with a 14-3.25 (4.35m) clearance, edging bronze medalist Alice Moindrot of France based on fewer attempts.

Alexandra Emilianov became the first female athlete from Moldova with two World U-20 medals, elevating from bronze in 2016 to capture the title with a fourth-round effort of 189-11 (57.89m). Helena Leveelahti set a Finland U-20 national record competing in her home country to earn silver with a second-round throw of 186-4 (56.80m). Cuba’s Silinda Oneisi Morales, the World U-18 champion last year in Nairobi, earned bronze with a personal-best 181-8 (55.37m) in the third round.