Kevona Davis in action at the Jamaican U20 and U18 Championships (© Bryan Cummings / Jamaica Observer)
Kevona Davis hopes to already have one gold medal in her kitbag by the time she lines up for the 200m heats on the morning of 14 July.
The 15-year-old Jamaican leads the 200m entries by two thirds of a second, having clocked a PB of 22.97 to move to 16th on the world U18 all-time list. She is also favoured to win the 100m and will aim to become just the third girl in history to win the sprint double at the World U18 Championships.
Brazil’s Lorraine Martins won the 100m and 200m double at the recent South American Junior Championships, running 11.56 and 23.89 into strong headwinds. Like Davis, she is also entered for the 100m and will have ambitions of making it on to the podium in both events.
Unlike some of her rivals, Spain’s Jael Bestue will be focusing solely on the 200m in Nairobi, ensuring she is fresh for the half-lap sprint. The 16-year-old set a lifetime best of 23.71 in her final 200m outing before heading to Nairobi, so looks to be peaking just in time in a bid to become the first female Spanish sprinter to earn a global medal in the 200m.
Turkey's Mizgin Ay and Germany's Talea Prepens have both recorded PBs well inside 24 seconds this year, which could be enough for a medal.
Jon Mulkeen for the IAAF
