Posted: July 16, 2005

Athletics: Historic Double As Sudan Wins Boys' And Girls' 400M Titles

MARRAKESH - Adam Mohammed Al-Nour and Nawal El Jack of Sudan were crowned IAAF/Maroc Telecom World Youth 400m champions last night, after dominating all rounds of their events in Marrakesh. The two rookies, running with youthful exuberance, scored a glorious double for their nation in Marrakech.

El Jack set a new championship record of 51.19 in the Girl's final, just holding off the challenge of the Croatian Daniela Grgic, who clocked 51.30 for silver. Shortly afterwards in the Boys' Final, Al-Nour confirmed his earlier form by clinching the gold in a new personal best of 46.56.

Coming off the bend, Al Nour's steady acceleration kept him clear of Kenya's Julius Kirwa and Bryshom Nellum of the USA, who set personal bests of 46.70 and 46.81 to win silver and bronze.

America's talented Ebony Collins, who ran her fastest-ever 100m when claiming the silver medal on Thursday night, was in even better form in her speciality 400m hurdles. She dominated the race from start-to-finish, winning in an impressive 55.96. That smashed the championship record of 57.54 achieved two years ago in Sherbrooke by the Czech Republic's Zuzana Hejnova.

Kenya scored a one-two in the 800m with a championship record for winner Gilbert Kipkurui Keter who clocked 1:48.42, slashing 0.37sec from the previous record held by Mohammed Al-Salhi of Saudi Arabia. Jackson Kivuna ran a personal best 1:48.37.

There was an outstanding world youth's 2000m steeplechase best performance when Bahrain's Tareq Mubarek Taher foiled the Kenyan pair of Abel Kiprop Mutai and Bisluke Kipkorir Kiplagat to win in 5:23.95.

Sandor Palhegyi, with a huge throw of 81.89m, set a championship record in the Hammer Throw, erasing the former mark of 80.11m achieved by his fellow Hungarian Joszef Horvath four years ago.

For more news from the biggest World Youth Athletics competition ever staged, please go to IAAF.org.

Full results, end of session reports, individual reports for all finals and photos can all be found in a special IAAF/Maroc Telecom World Youth Championships section of the IAAF Website.