Leendert Koemoer (second left) helped lead the SA men's 4X400m team to silver with a remarkable split time of 44.35 at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Oregon, after securing bronze in the individual one-lap sprint.
South Africa's young athletics stars are returning home with plenty to celebrate after an impressive World Athletics U20 Championships campaign in Eugene, Oregon, that yielded eight medals and offered further evidence of a promising pipeline of talent.
The 35-member team finished 10th in the overall standings after five days of competition in the US, collecting one gold, three silver and four bronze medals – South Africa's biggest medal haul at the global junior showpiece since the nine medals won in Nairobi in 2021.
Javelin thrower Jan-Hendrik Heymans provided the gold-medal highlight, with the 19-year-old producing a spectacular final-round throw of 80.50m to win the men's title and set a new world U20-leading mark.
Several athletes left Eugene with more than one medal. Leendert Koekemoer first claimed bronze in the individual 400m before anchoring the men's 4x400m relay team to silver in a new African U20 record of 3:02.76. Koekemoer ran a blistering 44.35-second split, the fastest of any athlete in the relay final.
