Athletics News

In a week where nothing seemed certain, this was the only fitting conclusion - a dropped baton, a race filled with captivating, climactic chaos, the favourites beaten, the underdogs rising, and gold going to Italy.

For a championships that had been full of exciting finishes and surprise medallists, the men's 4x400m was a fitting final event.

As expected, the United States cruised to its ninth straight women's U20 championship in the 4x400m relay, winning by more than two seconds over Australia in 3:28.74.

To say the men's discus final at the IAAF World U20 Championships didn't go to form would be something of an understatement.

The expected high jump duel between Karyna Taranda of Belarus and Maria Fernanda Murillo became a three-way battle when Ireland's Sommer Lecky jumped into medal contention.

With a run that required speed, stamina and a sheer sense of self-belief, Solomon Lekuta of Kenya secured his nation their third consecutive gold medal in the men's 800m at the IAAF World U20 Championships.

With a long and sustained run from the bell, Alemaz Samuel Teshale became the third successive Ethiopian winner of the women's 1500m at the IAAF World U20 Championships.

For the first time since these championships' inauguration in 1986, the winner of the men's steeplechase is not from Kenya.

Sprint hurdler Tia Jones won the USA's first individual gold medal of the IAAF World U20 Championships Tampere 2018 on the sixth and final day of competition - but only just.