Novuna GB&NI team off to flying start on Day One of World U20s Championships
by 6th August 2026
Thea Brown (Sale Harriers Manchester, Ashley Bryant) and Jake Odey-Jordan (Be Fit Today Track Academy, Kevin Schnexnayder) stormed their way into medal contention on day one of the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, whilst 4x400m mixed relay team set a new U20 National Record.
The pair, named as team captains for the Novuna Great Britain & Northern Ireland Team, delivered excellent displays at Hayward Field, with Brown setting a new championship record in the 100m hurdles on her way to third place after four events in the heptathlon.
The 19-year-old, sat on 3632 points and just 44 points off the lead, will return on day two well-placed to fight at the front of the field.
“It was great, I feel really well and I can’t wait for what the final brings me,” she said. “The stadium is huge. I really appreciate being here because I had a tough season.
“I think everyone that is here is excited and it is something new, it is a new experience, and we have a great team. I feel really good this season.
“I see the vision of the medal, but I don’t want to put pressure on myself, so I just want to enjoy the competition, and I am just really glad I am here.”
Odey-Jordan, a World U20 200m bronze medallist in Lima two years ago, has given himself another opportunity to win a global medal after he made the 100m final.
The 18-year-old won his heat in a time of 10.38 seconds before booking his place in the sprinting showpiece after clocking a time of 10.24 seconds in his semi-final.
There was more success in the mixed 4x400m as Luc Macleod (Glasgow Jaguars T&F Club, Robert Macleod), Shiloh Omotosho (Basildon AC, Sarah Robinson), Lucas Cameron (Tonbridge AC, George Blake) and Camiah Bennett (Coventry Godiva Harriers, James Wright) broke the national U20 record with a time of 3:20.50 in the final.
Earlier in the day, the British team, consisting of Macleod and Cameron as well as Caitlin Hadfield (Derby Athletic Club, Keith Bullock, Juda Simpson) and Noa Chodokufa (Woodford Green AC with Essex Ladies, Paul Franklin) won their heat, coming home in 3:21.27.
Wyatt Larkins (Harrow AC, Jamie Bath) threw a personal best distance of 73.10m to automatically qualify for the hammer final while Daisy Snell (Woodford Green AC with Essex Ladies, Paul Franklin) leapt into the long jump final after recording a best jump of 6.21m.
There was triple 800m success for Shaikira King (Wreake & Soar Valley, Jon Bigg), Matthew McKenna (Walton AC, Jamie McLoughlin) and Josh Mungin (Kilbarchan AAC, John Rodger) as the trio all made it into the women’s and men’s semi-finals respectively.
Ava James (Brighton & Hove AC, John Clements) made it to the final of the women’s 3000m steeplechase in a time of 10:15.16 to finish 8th, while Tilly Nickell (Team Bath Athletic Club, Luke Gunn) finished 9th in her heat.
Lily Bradley (City of Norwich AC, Joseph McDonnell) came third in her 100m heat to reach the semi-finals, where she finished seventh, while James Arminio (Gloucester AC, Justin Smith) came within one hundredth of a second of reaching Thursday’s 100m final after coming third in his heat to make the next round.
Eliza Nicholson (Blackheath & Bromley Harriers AC, Joe Franklin) recorded a time of 16:45.92 in the women’s 5000m to finish 21st, Charlie Mason (Cheltenham and County Harriers, Carolyn Franks) and Tom Rutter (Harrow AC, Tom Dobbing) came 13th and 21st in the javelin respectively, and Matilda Quick (Swansea Harriers, Steve Ingram) sits 17th in the heptathlon standings.