A TEAM of 73 athletes are ready to go and give it their all for Australia at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA.
The official media guide produced by David Tarbotton can be read HERE
Kicking off at the famous Hayward Field in Eugene on August 5 in the USA, the team has spent a week getting ready in the idyllic coastal Californian town of Isla Vista, just outside Santa Barbara.
Using training facilities including the track, gym and pool at the University of California Santa Barbara campus,the Australian Athletics official staging camp has proved the perfect training block for the Australian team.
The Australians are now settled into their accommodation at the University of Oregon, which has been transformed into a world class athletes’ village for the duration of the Championships.
Only home country the United States (110) and Germany (90) have larger teams than Australia.
AA’s U20’s Team Leader Craig Pickering, who himself went to the World U20 Championships in 2004 as a sprinter, said nothing has been left unturned as the team go into the big event.
“The main reason we are in the World Athletics U20 Championships is to get athletes exposed to the top level of competition,” he said.
“We want to teach them things that will set them up as a senior athlete, and I think we have done that really well with the Gold Coast Camp back in Australia.and in Santa Barbara
“Now it’s about how good they are at taking what they have learnt, and taking that to Eugene.
“There are no downsides here.
“What we are looking for is as many top eight finishes as possible, and we think based on the team we have got we can get around 20 top eight finishes.”
At the last World Athletics U20 Championships in Peru in 2024, Australia achieved so much, winning 14 medals including two gold, Delta Amidzovski (NSW, Rebecca Amidzovski) in the long jump and the Mixed 4 x 400m relay team.
Pickering said that will be tough to beat, but there are still high hopes for medals for the team.
The top ranked Australian female U20 athlete is high jumper star Izobelle Louison-Roe (NSW, Karen Roe) , who returns to the World Athletics U20 Championships after winning a silver medal in Peru.
Louison-Roe, 19, chose to compete at her last World U20s over the Commonwealth Games, and has had a brilliant year of preparation, including jumping her personal best of 1.95m in Canberra in January.
“I decided to focus on the U20s as it’s my last competition in the juniors and I wanted to give it my all, and I think I made the right decision,” she said.
“It’s been a great season so far and I hope for the same in Eugene.”
In a warning to her competitors, two years after winning the silver medal Louison-Roe believes she is a better athlete as she knows what to expect.
“I’m a lot more prepared this time around,” she said.
“I did not expect to win a silver medal last time.
“Coming in I always like to dream big and we came in with a high goal, we wanted a podium place, but I wasn’t ranked that high.and still managed to come away with the silver.
The other top ranked Australian athlete in the team is walker Isaac Beacroft, (NSW, David Beacroft) who comes to Eugene having won the Commonwealth Gold medal for Australia in Scotland, winning legions of new fans back home.
Beacroft, 19, came fourth in Peru, and is looking to medal as well in Eugene.
He arrived in Eugene on Monday night.
The 5km walking team of Beacroft, Owen Toyne, 19, (ACT, David Beacroft), Zoe Woods, 18, (NSW, David Beacroft) and Sophie Pokinghorne, 16, (NSW, David Beacroft) is one of the strongest disciplines on the Australian team.
“It’s such an honour to be part of this team, the Australian walking team is so good,” Woods said.
“I love being an Australian walker.”
Woods, 18, goes into the U20 Championships ranked two in the world, but realises there are going to be surprise athletes that are likely to pop up for nowhere in the event.
“I’m feeling excited to get on that track and have the whole crowd supporting us all, and hopefully I can go really, really fast, “ she said.
The most high-profile Australian athlete in the track events is Daniel Williams, 19. (NSW, Andrew Rollings) who ran a personal best of 1:44.37 at the Adelaide Track Classic earlier in the year.
He goes into Eugene having the fastest time in the 800m in a very high quality field, and has the unique advantage of racing at Hayward Field already, racing in the Prefontaine Classic last month.
He will race in the 800m on Day One of the championships, the day after turning 19.
“Two years ago in Peru it was a great experience, I had a lot of fun there,” he said.
“Unfortunately I didn’t tick off what I wanted to achieve there, but I hope this time that changes.
“A change of an event to 1500m to 800m which I think has been great, so I’m just excited to get back on that world stage and get out there.”
In the long jump Mason McGroder, 17 (NSW, Matt Wade), goes into Eugene with nothing to lose after winning a bronze medal in the long jump two years ago.
McGroder is also a very talented AFL footballer, based out of the Sydney Swans Academy in Sydney.
“I wasn’t ranked too high going in last time, but I had that competitor in me and knew I could do well,” he said
“This time it’s been a different approach, juggling both the footy and athletics, so hopefully I can bring my best form on the day.”
The first event to kick off the World Athletics U20 Championships is the women’s heptahalon, which starts at 10am on day one of the event.
For the first time in history, the two athletes representing Australia, Isabella Wing, 19, (TAS, Wim Vaessen) and Bailey Van Den Broek, 18, (TAS, Simon Bennett) are both from Tasmania.
“I’m ready get to the stadium and start,” Wing said.
“We’ve had really good training in Santa Barbara, the weather has been incredible coming from a Tassie winter, it’s been amazing.
“I’m ready to hopefully put down some good performances and am ready to go.”
Day one will also see the heats of the 100m, with Uwezo Lubenda, 17, (QLD, Gary Cairns), and Zavier Peacock, 18 (NSW, Michael Psarakis and Jack Edwards) all set for the men’s U20s.
In the women’s 100m, Zara Hagan, 18. (QLD, Christopher Dale) and Maya Taber, 17, (NSW, Pete Calanopoulos) will represent Australia.
“I’m super excited,” Hagan said.
“I get to do the 100m, 200m and the relay, so I get a lot of opportunities to go out there and show everyone what I can do.”
In the throws events there is a team of seven young athletes competing in Eugene.
Many of the throwers, including Elijah Wilson, 19, (ACT, Rowan Vergano) are inspired by the great Matt Denny as they take on the tough competition that will be in Eugene.
“He has such a big influence on us,” Wilson said.
“He really brings a lot to the sport, not just the discus, but athletics in general.”
As well as the individual events, the men’s and women’s 4x100m, men’s and women’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m relays will all be running for medals in Eugene.
The Australian team is proud to have the support of Athletics International for this trip.
WORLD ATHLETICS U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS FACTS AND FIGURES
79: Australia has won 15 Gold, 32 silver and 32 bronze medals in the history of the championships
Largest Australian teams:
2026: 73
2024: 68
1996: 59
2024: 58
2016: 56
17.9: The average age of athletes on the team.
16: Athletes born in 2009 and 2010 who are eligible for the 2028 Championships
Roll of Honour – Australia’s World U20/Junior Champions
Miles Murphy (NSW) 1986 400m
Rohan Robinson (VIC) 1990 400m Hurdles
Australia 1990 4x400m
[Susan Andrews (WA), Kylie Hanigan (NSW), Renee Poetschka (WA), Sophie Scamps (NSW)]
Paul Byrne (VIC) 1994 800m
Jagan Hames (SA) 1994 High Jump
Australia 1998 4x400m
[Bryce Barnwell (VIC), Daniel Batman (NSW), Daniel McFarlane (QLD), Scott Thom (VIC), Casey Vincent (VIC)]
Paul Burgess (WA) 1996 Pole Vault
Jana Pittman (NSW) 2000 400m
Jana Pittman (NSW) 2000 400m Hurdles
Robert Crowther (QLD) 2006 Long Jump
Dani Samuels (NSW) 2006 Discus Throw
Nash Lowis (Qld) 2018 Javelin
Ashley Moloney (Qld) 2018 Decathlon
Delta Amidzovski (NSW) 2024 Long Jump
Australia 2024 Mixed 4x400m Relay
[Sophia Gregorevic (VIC), Bella Pasquali (VIC), Jordan Gilbert (VIC), Jack Deguara (NSW)]
By Luke Dennehy with David Tarbotton, Australian Athletics
Posted 5/8/2026
