Aussie jumping for joy after dream win at world titles
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High jumper Izobelle Louison-Roe has given Australia a golden glow to wrap up the world athletics under-20 championships in the US in dazzling fashion.
Louison-Roe went into Sunday’s final in Eugene, Oregon, as favourite and exerted her control of the competition, jumping 1.92m to win the gold she has been dreaming about for years.
It follows a silver medal won in Peru two years ago, making Louison-Roe one of Australia’s most decorated athletes at the world under-20 championships.
“It was such an exciting competition, one of the moments of my life,” the NSW athlete said after clinching victory.
“It was an incredible feeling when I won.
“I was crying so much I couldn’t keep it together, it was amazing.”
Out of the Australian team of 73, it was probably Louison-Roe who had the most attention and pressure to perform in the build-up to Eugene, so there were also tears of relief.
“A couple of times the expectations I think did get to me to do better than last time, but I pushed it all away and just had fun,” she said.
The other medal for Australia on the final day of competition was silver in the 4x400m women’s relay.
The team of Shari Hurdman, Xanthee Watts, Charlotte McAuliffe and Alice Hill ran 3:31.39, coming second to the powerful US team.
It was the second medal for Watts and McAuliffe, who won bronze in the mixed 4x400m relay earlier in the meet.
In total Australia won two gold, three silver and one bronze medal in Eugene.
Australia’s other gold came from Isaac Beacroft, who smashed the under-20 world record while winning the 5km race walk.
Beacroft’s sizzling win in Eugene, where he beat the previous world mark by more than seven seconds, follows the Commonwealth Games gold medal he won just over a week ago in the 10km race walk in Glasgow.
Only twice has Australia won more medals at a world athletics under-20 championships, in Sydney in 1996 and in Peru in 2024.
And only once has Australia won two gold medals, the other time in Peru two years ago.
Key Australian results from the final day of competition in Eugene, Oregon:
Women’s high jump: Gold, Izobelle Louison-Roe, 1.92m
Women’s 4x400m: Silver, Australia (Shari Hurdman, Xanthee Watts, Charlotte McAuliffe, Alice Hill), 3:31.39
Men’s 4x400m: Fourth, Australia (Seth Kennedy, Fred Hamblin, Dylan Hall, Chase Grant) 3:04.84
Women’s 4x100m: Fourth, Australia (Thewbelle Philp, Zara Hagan, Grace Crowe, Emilia Reed), 44.01
1500m: Eighth, Kieran Shepherd, 3:42.25 (PB).
AAP