Previews13 Jul 2015


Girls' 800m preview – IAAF World Youth Championships Cali 2015

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Athletes in action in the 800m (© Getty Images)

With six girls arriving in Cali with times of 2:05.59 or better to their credit, the 800m promises to be a wide open affair.

The fastest among the entries is 16-year-old Marta Zenoni who’s hoping to capture Italy’s first medal in this event at these championships.

Zenoni’s 2:03.40 personal best came early last month at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Rome where she won the junior contest.

Leading the US challenge is Samantha Watson, the 15-year-old who impressively won the national youth title in 2:04.27.

Russia’s number one, Ekaterina Alekseeva, has been nearly as fast at 2:04.53, a career best she produced to take the notoriously difficult national junior title on 25 June in Cheboksary.

Ethiopia comes armed with a strong pair with Gadese Ejara (2:05.22 at altitude) and Fozija Niguse (2:05.59) given the task of taking home their country’s first gold in the event.

Meanwhile, Cars McAulay produced a breakthrough 2:05.50 in Manchester in late May to emerge as the top British hope.

Local eyes will focus on Johana Patricia Arrieta who won the South American youth title one year ago.

Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

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