Two Canadians won their heats to secure their spots in the next round on Day 2 of the 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya.
First up was Savannah Sutherland, who won her women’s 400-metre hurdles heat in a time of 58.45 seconds to qualify for the finals. “I felt really strong over the first four hurdles – the best I’ve ever felt in a race, then I think the altitude kicked in and I got a little more fatigued than normal,” said Sutherland. “The last six hurdles weren’t as great as I was hoping, but in preparation for the final, I’m just going to stay focused. For the next couple of days, I’m just going to take it easy and make sure my body is as good as possible going into the final on Sunday.”
Avery Pearson won her women’s 800-metre heat, qualifying for the semi-finals in a time of 2:07.99. “I didn’t have great positioning right from the start, but I just stayed calm. I was boxed in a little bit in the back, but I managed to squeeze through some openings, shot some gaps, and just trusted my finishing kick,” said Pearson.
Abdullahi Hassan was second in his men’s 800-metre heat, qualifying for the semi-finals with at time of 1:49.09.“It went well. The air was pretty dry, which made it hard to run. I think I’m not quite used to the altitude yet, but other than that, I think I raced well, raced smart, and I’m happy with how I competed,” said Hassan.
Matti Erickson finished fifth in his men’s 800-metre heat in a time of 1:52.38 and did not advance. “I went out and maybe was in a position I shouldn’t have been and ended getting pushed to the back with 400 metres to go. Technically, it wasn’t the best race I’ve run,” said Erickson, who made his national team debut at this event. “It’s been a lot of fun. I’ve enjoyed being able to fly with the team and make some good friendships. I certainly learned a lot and I’ll have a lot to take away from this experience
Eniko Sara finished 13th in the women’s javelin final, with her best throw of 45.58 metres.
"I had a few setbacks – the weather being one and then my physical condition being another," said Sara. "I did what I could and it was a great experience either way. It has made me stronger and I will come back stronger next time on the team.
Follow Team Canada online. Get the link to the livestream of the event, plus schedules, results, history and more at Athletics Canada’s 2021 World U20 Athletics Championships hub.
