Looking back to Lille-IAAF World Youth Championships, Donetsk 2013, from IAAF, note by Larry Eder

The IAAF World Youth Championships was my first youth champs. It was eye opening. Held in the beautiful city of Lille, the championships should be on the list of all real track fans. It is a wonderful chance to see the superstars of tomorrow. Fascinating performances, in historic venues, with great enthusiasm, what more can a track fan ask for?

Runblogrun will keep our readers updated on the daily performances at the 2013 IAAF World Youth Championships, from Donetsk, Russia, via twitter, FB and daily updates on Runblogrun.com, thanks to the IAAF.

Looking back to Lille – IAAF World Youth Championships, Donetsk 2013

Monaco – There are just two weeks to go beforeDonetsk, Ukraine stages the 2013 IAAF World Youth Championships, from 10-14 July, but memories are still fresh of the outstanding last edition of these Championships, held two years ago in the French city of Lille.

World youth best performances were established by Kenyan 800m runner Leonard Kosencha, New Zealand shot putter Jacko Gill and Australian combined events exponent Jake Stein.

Kosencha produced a jaw-dropping performance in Lille to win in a stunning 1:44.08, Gill sent his 5kg implement out to 24.35m and had two other attempts go over 24 metres while an inspired Stein improved the Octathlon World youth best mark with youth implements by nine points to 6491 after setting personal bests in seven of the eight events.

Both the boys’ and girls’ 1000m Medley Relays also saw World youth best performances established, by the USA and Jamaica respectively, and there were also five other championship records established in Lille that competitors in Donetsk will have as their targets.

A look at the Lille medals table amply demonstrated the global appeal and reach of the Championships and the spread of athletics talent around the world.

No less than 18 countries won gold medals, while 35 different countries stood on the podium, with each of the IAAF Area Associations being represented.

Click here to read the full story on the IAAF website

Author

Larry Eder
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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