World U20s – Day 5: Louison-Roe, Hill and Hurdman win medals

10 August 2026

World U20s – Day 5: Louison-Roe, Hill and Hurdman win medals

On the final day of the World Athletics U20 Championships, three more NSW athletes won medals. Izobelle Louison-Roe became Australia’s seventeenth World Junior champion, winning the high jump, while Alice Hill and Shari Hurdman helped Australia to silver in the women’s 4x400m relay.

HIGH JUMP women
Izzy Louison-Roe closed the Australian campaign with a gold medal in the women’s high jump. A surprise silver medallist in 2024 at a height of 1.89m, two years on she was in control from her opening clearance at 1.75m. Keeping a clean sheet through 1.80m, 1.84m, 1.87m, 1.90m and 1.92m. After her first up clearance at 1.92m, her competitors, Aitana Alonso (ESP) and Lilanna Batori (HUN) missed clearances. Lzzy and Batori took unsuccessful attempts at 1.94m.

Undoubtedly the pressure to win had built up over the last two years. Izzy was emotional with the outcome.
“When I won, I burst into tears. I am so happy, she said.
“I will remember this competition forever it is so special to me,”
"It feels incredible. It is just amazing to get in and get gold I am so happy. It is super special. Yesterday Australia had an amazing day, so to be able to add on to my teams medals is great. 
“I will bring home the memories of these friendships I made, so many that I will cherish for life. My mom and my brother came here to see me and I am excited to get home and kick my feet up."

It is not easy waiting until the last day to finish her program.
“I have had to be locked in all week while everyone else finished early.”

She wins the second gold for Australia at these championships, and becomes the seventeenth Australian gold medallist in the 40 years history of the championships. It is Australia’s third medal in this event, following her own silver in 2024 and Petrina Price who won a bronze in 2002.

4X400M RELAY women
On day one of the championships we saw two great runs by Xanthee Watts (QLD) and Charlotte McAuliffe (SA) in the mixed 4x400m relay. Then after NSW pair Shari Hurdman (semi) and Alice Hill (final), did so well in the individual 400s, Australia was in a position to be a threat in the women’s 4x400m relay.
It was an extraordinary workload for all four athletes: Xanthee and Charlotte four 400s races in five days, Shari four 400s races in four days and Alice – an amazing five 400s in four day.
In the final, they really stood up, Shari started with a split of 52.64 with Australia in second, Xanthee clocked 52.70 to hold Australia in second, Charlotte ran 52.33 with Australian still in second. Alice held on for Australia with a weary split of 53.72 as they won the silver medal. She held off Great Britain and Slovenia who were flying home. Australia clocked the third fastest in our U20 history – 3:31.39. 

Shari set up the race for NSW: “I just wanted to get started hard on the first 200 to give my girls the best chance they had to get in front of the other competitors.”
Alice had modest expectations: “It is incredible, I just hoped our team made the final coming into this event so to come away with a silver medal around our necks is just incredible."

4X400M RELAY men
After a brilliant heat win, for the final Australia brought in 200m athlete Dylan Hall for Dylan Ruming who had already run three high-quality 400s at the championships. Hall was not a complete novice over the one lap, having run 48.17 last October. He was in form having run a 200m PB at the championships.

Queenslander Seth Kennedy got the team away well with a split of 46.19 with Australia in third. Running his fourth 400m in five days, Fred Hamblin ran strongly at the end of his leg to keep Australia in contact with the medals. The draftee Dylan Hall ran brilliantly on leg three, handing the baton to Chase Grant. Chase ran a stunning anchor leg, clocking a sub-45 split, to bring the team within 0.04 seconds of the podium. They clocked the incredible time of 3:04.84 for 4th place, missing the 28-year-old Australian U20 record by just 0.1 seconds.

David Tarbotton for NSW Athletics
Image:  Izzy Louison-Roe (Ben Levy/Australian Athletics)