World U20s – Day 1: medals for Dylan Ruming and Fred Hamblin

6 August 2026

World U20s – Day 1: medals for Dylan Ruming and Fred Hamblin

NSW athletes produced a terrific series of results on day one of the World Athletics U20 Championships being held at the famous Hayward Field in Eugene. The highlight was two NSW country athletes helping Australia to bronze in the mixed 4x400m relay. NSW also had five athletes progress from their first rounds in the 100m and 800m.

4X400 MIXED RELAY
Berrima’s Fred Hamblin and Bathurst’s Dylan Ruming have run two 400s in a day to help Australia to a National record time of 3:18.45 – faster than Australia’s gold medal winning time in 2024.
In the morning heat, they ran easily the second fastest time of 3:19.59. Then 10 hours later, they were back on the track with the same team, including Xanthee Watts QLD and Charlotte McAuliffe SA.
Dylan kicked the team off with a 46.87 leg from blocks, equal to a flying leg of 46.2. On leg two Xanthee kept the team in second. On leg three Fred clocked his second sub-47 leg of the day, running 46.36. Charlottle then brought the team home for the bronze medal.
They sliced 0.82 from the old Australian and Oceania records. It was also the fourth fastest time in the history of the event. It was our 80th World U20s medals since the inaugural 1986 edition – 40 years ago.

800 METRES
Strong start to his 800m campaign by Daniel Williams with a quick time of 1:47.47 in his heat. He was second to Uganda athlete Shafeck Murungi. Daniel, the number one seed, has a semifinal and final ahead of him.

Run Crew’s Harry Halleen also made a great start qualifying automatically for the semifinal. He was second in his heat in a conservative time of 1:52.24. 

Sutherland’s Ivy Boothroyd was the 6th fastest in the 800m heats clocking 2:04.67. She qualified automatically for the semifinals with her 2nd place. The women’s 800m is one of Australia’s most successful women’s events at the World U20s, having won three silver and a bronze.

100 METRES
Excellent running for Bankstown’s Zavier Peacock in the 100m rounds on day one. In his heat he shaved 0.03 seconds from his PB, clocking 10.32. In his semifinal he was in a close battle for third place, eventually finishing 6th with 10.35 – equal to his old PB. He missed qualification for the final by just 0.04 seconds. His two times of 10.32 and 10.35 are the second and fourth fastest in our history at the World U20s.

In the women’s Maya Taber laid down two great runs. In her heat she clocked 11.39 for third place. It was just 0.03 seconds outside her PB of 11.36 and the second fastest of her career. It was also the fastest time ever by an Aussie at the World U20s, surpassing Sally Pearson’s 11.40, 22 years ago. In the semifinal Maya clocked 11.56 for 6th place, but missed qualification for the final.

DISCUS THROW
Competing at her second World U20 Championships, Chelsey Wayne threw 47 metres distances early, before reaching 49.96m on her last effort in the qualifying round. She placed 10th in her group and 19th overall.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image:  Fred Hamblin mixed 4x400m relay  (Ben Levy / Australian Athletics)