Rising sprinter Georgia Harris has delivered an emphatic statement for the UniRoos with 100m gold at the 2025 World University Games, opening Australia’s medal tally in Athletics as World Under 20 champion Delta Amidzovski impressed in another global final.
The 21-year-old Harris (QLD, Paul Pearce) completed the perfect run en route to gold having won both her heat and semi-final, but she saved her best for last with a scorching 11.44 (-0.7) performance to hold off her international rivals.
“It’s incredible, I’m lost for words. I did not expect that, not even in my wildest dreams,” Harris said.
“My team and I have been training really hard all season. This was the goal to make World Unis, but going through the rounds I definitely picked up a little bit of confidence.”
The Griffith University product got the best start of the field but came under pressure in the back half, relaxing and running her own race to finish 0.05-seconds ahead of Poland’s Magdalena Stefanowicz.
Fellow Australian Connor Bond (NSW, Mick Zisti) also qualified for the 100m finals action, racing to a time of 10.46 (-0.7) to clinch seventh place in the field led by World Under 20 champion Bayanda Walaza of South Africa in 10.16-seconds.
World Under 20 champion Delta Amidzovski (NSW, Becky Amidzovski) continued her rise with a fourth-place finish in the long jump, harnessing the swirling conditions to produce a 6.50m (-0.6) leap and finish ahead of teammate Samantha Dale (NSW, Andrew Murphy) who earned seventh place with 6.36m (-1.2).
Stringing together a strong sequence, the 18-year-old consolidated her form as she edges closer to World Athletics Championships qualification, falling 17cm shy of the bronze medal in Bochum as she prepares to return for the 100m hurdles.
Discus thrower Etienne Rousseau (WA, Didier Poper) threw his way to 10th place in the FISU World University Games final, launching the discus 55.25m in the hotly contested affair – finishing just short of the top eight after three rounds which would have earned him another three throws.
Adding to the action in the field, Roman Anastasios (VIC, Sandro Bisetto) leapt into the Men’s High Jump final with a 2.13m clearance on his second attempt.
Track qualifiers were led by Alesha Bennetts (ACT, Matt Beckenham) who coasted through the opening round of the 400m hurdles in 56.49, leaving nothing to chance as the personal best time locked away second place, while Adam Goddard (SA, Riley Cocks) punched his ticket to the 1500m final with automatic qualification in 3:45.66 for fourth place.
Rounding out the action on the track, Hayley Kitching (NSW, Tim Kitching) bounced back to form over 800m with a run of 2:03.35 for fourth place and a semi-finals berth.
Day Three of the 2025 FISU World University Games will begin at 6:00pm AEST tonight, with Australian viewers able to tune in via FISU.TV.
By Lachlan Moorhouse, Australian Athletics
Posted 23/7/2025
