Agate Caune and Niels Laros won distance running doubles at European Athletics U20 Championships, breaking record in 5000m, 1500m, and decathlon

Posted : 11 August 2023

The Swiss team took the men's 4x100m title, with Manuel Gerber maintaining his form on the anchor leg. The women's 4x100m final saw a clash between Germany and Great Britain & Northern Ireland, who have won this title since 2007.
The European Athletics U20 Championships in Jerusalem concluded with remarkable performances from Agate Caune and Niels Laros, solidifying their dominance in distance running.

Agate Caune of Latvia showcased an exceptional display in the women's 5000m, effortlessly pulling away from a strong field. Her performance shattered Elvan Abeylegesse's 22-year-old championship record by a staggering 17.27 seconds.

Caune's lead was already 60 meters by a quarter of the race, making it a race against time. With consistent lap times between 71-73 seconds, Caune left her competitors far behind.

She even managed a 70-second final lap, finishing in 15:03.83, slashing over nine seconds off her personal best and establishing another national U20 record. This achievement followed her impressive 3000m win just a day before.

Kira Weis of Germany secured silver with 15:50.36, while Sofia Thogersen of Denmark earned bronze with 15:53.08, being the only two athletes not lapped by Caune.

Niels Laros displayed controlled excellence, adding 5000m gold to the 1500m title he claimed earlier in the week. Despite Gabor Karsai of Hungary's daring solo attempt, Laros and other contenders caught up as they entered the final lap. Laros accelerated and triumphantly crossed the finish line in 14:11.82, followed closely by Jonathan Grahn of Sweden, who took silver in 14:12.73. Austria's Kevin Kamenschak secured bronze with 14:15.02, edging out Great Britain & Northern Ireland's James Dargan by 0.50 seconds. Karsai finished fifth in 14:18.70.

Amadeus Graber of Germany emerged victorious in the men's decathlon, with all three medalists surpassing 8000 points after two challenging days. After a strong second day, Graber clinched gold with a personal best of 8209, outshining Matthias Lasch of Austria, who surged from ninth to take silver with 8052. Andrin Huber of Switzerland secured bronze with a total of 8009 points, triumphantly winning the 1500m in 4:20.40.

Viktor Morozov of Estonia secured the nation's only gold in the men's triple jump, setting a European U20 lead of 16.45m. Bozhidar Sarâboyukov of Bulgaria claimed silver with 16.25m, while Lâchezar Vâlchev, also from Bulgaria, took bronze with 16.16m.

The relay events showcased exceptional teamwork and performances:

- Switzerland's men's 4x100m relay team exhibited precise baton exchanges, securing victory in 39.87. The Netherlands secured silver, narrowly beating Germany by 0.01 seconds.

- In the women's 4x100m final, Germany triumphed over Great Britain & Northern Ireland, continuing their domination of the event since 2007. Germany's victory was led by Holly Okuku, who held off Success Eduan for gold. The Czech Republic secured bronze.

- The women's 4x400m final witnessed a thrilling battle between the Netherlands, Germany, and France. Benedetta Kouakou's determined anchor leg secured victory for France by a mere 0.02 seconds. The men's 4x400m saw Great Britain & Northern Ireland lead from the front, clinching gold ahead of Germany and France.

Germany concluded the championships at the top of the medal table with an impressive tally of 23 medals, including eight gold, eight silver, and seven bronze.

Agate Caune and Niels Laros won distance running doubles at European Athletics U20 Championships, breaking record in 5000m, 1500m, and decathlon

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