Australia have suffered disappointment from the lead in the mixed 4x100m relay final at the world under-20 championships on Saturday in Eugene, Oregon (Sunday AEST).
World-record holders for a brief moment after their heat, the quartet of Uwezo Lubenda, Maya Taber, Kelechi Ekwomadu and Thewbelle Philp were in serious contention for gold when it all fell apart at the last changeover.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Heartwarming moment after Aussies’ world champs ‘nightmare’
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Lubenda started well before Taber and Ekwomadu pushed the Aussies well out front but the baton dropped in the handoff to Philp around the final bend.
“Australia, Great Britain, Italy — and the Americans will have to come from a long way back,” Rob Walker said in commentary on Channel 7.
“What on earth happened with the Australians? Not quite sure … something went terribly wrong for the Australians.”
Italy, anchored by 16-year-old sensation Kelly Doualla, stormed past them all to win in a new world under-20 record time of 41.21 seconds while Great Britain held on for silver ahead of the United States.
“It was all drama at the front and a nightmare finish for the Australians, who had been going so, so very well,” Walker added.
Bruce McAvaney said “it was so unfortunate”.
“Thewbelle was off and running and that baton just fell out of her hands at the wrong time,” the Australian broadcast icon said.
“Would she have held off Kelly Doualla? None of us know but boy, oh boy, for three legs they were in the frame. And the baton changes had been so good up until then. It was a spectacular final.
“That’s what baton running is all about. You have to get it around and that’s the first priority.”
Rosie Tinbergen said: “It’s all well and good doing it quickly but if the baton isn’t there then it doesn’t count. These tiny, tiny mistakes make such an impact but they just happen in relay running. We see it on the world stage, the senior stage, all the time. It is just part of it. The Australians were looking really smooth with baton changes in the heats as well.”
Philp anchored the mixed team in the heat and final but led off for the Australian women’s 4x100m relay team in their heat victory earlier on Saturday local time (Sunday AEST).
Philp and Ekwomadu were visibly dejected after dropping the baton in the mixed final but Taber rushed to embrace Philp in particular.
The quartet bowed their heads together to reflect on the final.
“That was heartache for the Australians. But that’s what happens in the relays,” Walker said.
“Many, many great champions have had disappointing moments in the relays and at least there’s still a togetherness in the team.”
McAvaney said it was “great” to see Taber console Philp.
“These are young women and men, big learning curve for them, really big. Three of them are 17 years of age so there’s a big learning curve,” he said.
Philp is the oldest of the Australian team at 18 but only celebrated her birthday in April.
Philp is set to put the disappointment behind her to have a crack at the women’s 4x100m relay final with Zara Hagan, Grace Crowe and Emilia Reed on Sunday local time (Monday AEST).
The Aussies were the fastest of all in the three heats after running a new national under-20 record time of 43.44 seconds to defeat the next three fastest qualifiers in Jamaica, Nigeria and the United States.
Just 0.06 seconds separated those three nations, with the US sent packing before the final — having missed the all-important top-three placing — despite running faster than every other team from the other two heats.
Elsewhere at the championships, Australia’s Daniel Williams won 800m silver in 1:45.36 behind Morocco’s Imad Bouchajda (1:44.64).
Uganda’s Shafeck Murungi went out seriously hard to make it a fast race but predictably faded and finished only ahead of Australia’s Harry Halleen, who had set a personal best to reach the final.
“Massive relief. So many months, if not years, leading up to this, to have it finally done it’s such a surreal experience,” Williams said with the silver medal around his neck.
“The race itself, I’m so happy with that. Such a quick first lap, probably the quickest I’ve ever done, so to cross the line in 1:45 I can’t be mad with that.
“Gold would’ve been ideal, to come home with silver I’m just as happy. Nothing like this has ever really happened to me, still in a bit of shock to come away with that medal.”
Australian Mason McGroder, just 17 and a Sydney Swans AFL academy prospect, also finished with silver after a last-gap personal best in the long jump final.
He leapt to 7.96m with his sixth jump — finishing just 1cm shy of Italian gold medallist Daniele Inzoli, who only needed two jumps to secure the title.
McGroder’s silver was an upgrade on winning bronze at the 2024 world under-20 championships but he now faces a difficult decision on his sporting future.
Jamison Harding, still 16, finished fourth on countback in the pole vault final after improving her personal best by 8cm.
Earlier on Saturday (Sunday AEST), Australian teenager Isaac Beacroft achieved a rare double when he won 5000m race walk gold just a week after winning 10,000m gold at the Commonwealth Games.
Head here to watch the world under-20 championships on 7plus Sport
