De'Jour Russell shatters 110m CR at Kasarani
Sanique Walker of Jamaica clears a hurdle in the 400m hurdles girls event during the IAAF World Under-18 Championships at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on July 13, 2017. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |
What you need to know:
- Russell’s time was enough to break compatriot’s Jaheel Hyde’s Championship Record set during the 110m hurdles final at the 2013 Donetsk Championships in Ukraine.
The first Championship Record at the 2017 World Under-18 Championships went down on Thursday when De'Jour Russell of Jamaica tore the 110m hurdles field to shreds, winning one of the boys’ heats in 13.08 seconds.
Russell’s time was enough to break compatriot’s Jaheel Hyde’s Championship Record set during the 110m hurdles final at the 2013 Donetsk Championships in Ukraine.
Russell’s time in the first heat at Kasarani made him the second fastest Under-18 athlete of all time, behind his Hyde's World Under-18 Record of 12.96 achieved at 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.
With the semi-final and final scheduled for Saturday, there may be much more to come from the Jamaican who recently clocked a world age-17 best of 13.32 over the senior height barriers.
None of the other hurdlers came near Russell's performance, but there were other notable runs, including the remaining heat winners: Enrique Llopis of Spain with 13.47 (a personal best by 0.25), Lu Hao-hua of Chinese Taipei with 13.57 and Saoud Al-Humaidi of Qatar with 13.72.
The early exit of Zayed Al Shamsi of the United Arab Emirates left many shocked. The third fastest U-18 athlete this year with 13.43 finished sixth in his heat in 14.70.
