Norway’s Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen sprinted to a shock victory in the 3000m at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima on Thursday (29) evening, one of four European gold medals on the third day of the championships.
In a slow and cagey race, Halvorsen positioned himself well before taking the initiative with 200 metres remaining, sprinting to victory over a field replete with East African talent in 8:20.56 ahead of Kenya’s Denis Kipkoech in 8:20.79.
And there was a second European medal as Edward Bird, who was part of Great Britain's gold medal-winning team in the U20 race at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships, held off Ethiopia’s Ybeltal Gashahun for an equally unexpected bronze medal - 8:21.00 to 8:21.02.
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Halvorsen came to prominence two years ago when he won silver medals in both the 1500m and 3000m at the European Athletics U18 Championships behind Niels Laros in both finals.
And this victory is ample redemption for his performance at the European Athletics U20 Championships last summer when Halvorsen fell in a melee with one lap to go in the 3000m final in Jerusalem.
“I'm getting in the shape of my life now, these last days and weeks were great,” said Halvorsen. “I wanted to fight for the gold and that is exactly what I did. I'm grateful for everyone that helped me to do this and the ones that are going to help me get even further.”
Halvorsen will be looking to crown his U20 career with a medal at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships this December before graduating into the U23 ranks and the prospect of a home appearance at next year’s European Athletics U23 Championships in Bergen.
Halvorsen also becomes the first ever non-African winner of a men’s 3000m, 5000m or 10,000m title in the history of the World Athletics U20 Championships, an event which dates back to 1986.
A second European victory on the track came from Czechia’s Lurdes Gloria Manuel who added the world U20 400m title to her European U20 400m title from last year.
Manuel, who was fourth in the 400m final at the European Athletics Championships in Rome aged 18, strode to an expected victory in 51.29 by a clear margin from Canada’s Dianna Proctor in 51.98.
History for Cyprus as Kesidis hammers home gold
European U18 champion Iosif Kesidis created history for his country by winning Cyprus’ first ever gold medal in World Athletics U20 Championships history.
Kesidis thoroughly dominated the competition and all six of his throws - 79.47m, 76.91m, 80.95m, 81.53m, 78.71m, 82.80m - would have sufficed for the title ahead of the Hungarian duo of Roland Imre (75.33m) and Armin Szabados (74.88m).
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In the end, Kesidis won the title by a whopping 7.47m and his sixth round throw elevates the Cypriot to sixth on the world U20 all-time list.
“I said to my coach before the last throw that the last throw would be the best one,” said Kesidis.
Still only 17, Slovenia’s Tom Kersec won the javelin title with his sixth round throw of 76.81m to displace China’s Wang Xiaobo (75.50m) with Ireland’s Oisin Joyce taking bronze with a first round national U20 record of 73.89m.
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And by virtue of a 2006 birthdate, Kersec will be eligible to challenge for the title at next year’s European Athletics U20 Championships which take place in Tampere, Finland in August.
Steven Mills for European Athletics