Romania’s Alexandra Ștefania Uță produced a lifetime best of 55.33 to win the women’s 400m hurdles on the fifth and final day of the World Athletics Under-20 Championships Oregon 26.
Uță finished more than half a second ahead of South Africa’s Tumi Ramokgopa, taking gold with a 0.22 improvement on the PB she set when winning the European Under-20 title last year.
“It is very special to me,” said Uță, who now moves to fourth on the European Under-20 all-time list, just 0.01 behind Femke Broeders-Bol. “Both me and my coach wanted this medal and it is great to represent my country in this event because it is very important to me. I wanted to continue the legacy of Ionela Târlea.”
While Uță took the title, Ramokgopa completed an impressive hurdles double. The South African had claimed silver in the 100m hurdles in 12.96 on Saturday and returned the following day to earn another silver, improving her 400m hurdles PB to 55.88.
“It is beyond special,” said Ramokgopa. “I was in disbelief coming into the home straight. I saw that I was in a medal position and knew I had to give it my all.”
Greece’s Eleni Iakovaki took bronze in a national Under-20 record of 55.99.