Australia Wins Mixed 4x400 Relay On First Day At Lima

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

World Athletics Photos

There were four finals on the opening day of the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, and the United States was noticeably absent in two of them. 

Australia won the meet's first relay event when it beat Poland and China to win the mixed 4x400 in 3:19.27. 

The United States, despite sending a group of relay athletes, was not entered in the event due to a clerical error. The U.S. is the reigning champion in the event. 

Andrew Kiptoo Alimisi from Kenya won the men's 5,000 meters in 13:41.14 as the three medalists were separated by less than six-tenths of a second. 

The U.S. did not have an entry in that event, either. 

Ethiopia's Medina Eisa broke the meet record as she won the women's 5,000 meters in a time of 14:39.71. She won by 18 seconds. Teammate Mekedes Alemeshete took silver with 14:57.44 and Charity Cherop from Uganda ran to bronze in 15:25.02. 

American Arianne Olson (Notre Dame) was 10th in 16:19.23 and New York high schooler Zariel Macchia was 18th in 17:12.33.

The U.S. did not advance any of its sprinters through to Wednesday's 100-meter finals for men and women. 

Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands, who was a top high school competitor in the U.S. at Montverde Academy FL, did advance to the final by placing second in her semifinal heat in 11.59. 

Jarno Van Daalen of The Netherlands won the men's shot put by two centimeters with 20.76m (68-1.50). 

Tyler Michelini of the U.S., who throws for Arizona, finished seventh with 19.64m (64-5.25). 

Abby Elmore, the lone U.S. entrant in the heptathlon, finished the first day in 11th place with 3,093 points. Croatian Jana Koscak leads with 3,536. 

Ryan Johnson of the U.S. (Eastern Michigan) advanced through qualifying to the finals of the men's hammer; Sophia Beckmon (Illinois) posted the third-best mark in the women's long jump to get through qualification; Reese Garland (USC) and Gracelyn Leiseth advanced out of the women's discus qualifying; Daniel Watcke (Villanova) and Michael Long advanced out of the first round of the men's 800 meters; Sterling Scott (Missouri) and Karson Gordon (UCLA) were among the top four in the men's triple jump qualifying; Sophia Gorriaran made it through the first round of the women's 800; Katie Clute (Oregon) and Angelina Napoleon (North Carolina State) both survived the first round of the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase; Molly Haywood (Baylor) and Hannah Grace both cleared 4.10m (13-5.25) to advance through qualifying in the women's pole vault; Paul Catalanatto made it through qualifying in the men's javelin.