A beautifully timed run by Sean Doggett saw him qualify for the semi-finals of the 400m on day two of the World Under-20 Athletics Championships in Lima, Peru, the 17-year-old from Athenry AC moving from fourth to second inside the last 20m.
Only the top three were sure of progressing, and Doggett secured his spot thanks to his finishing speed, clocking 47.31 seconds behind Poland’s Jakob Szarapo, who took the win in 46.95 seconds.
Coached by his father Stephen, Doggett became the youngest Irish athlete to compete in the European Championships when he was part of the men’s 4x400m relay in Rome last June, and had already run the mixed 4x400m on day one in Lima, where the Irish quartet missed out on qualification.
Earlier, Fintan Dewhirst from Tír Chonaill AC in Donegal gained a place in the semi-finals of the 400m hurdles by finishing second in his heat in 52.59. He, too, timed his run well to finish behind Vance Nilsson from the US, who clocked 51.98. Dewhirst won a silver medal in the European Under-18 Championships in 2022.
David Davitt from Clonliffe Harriers missed out on progressing in the same event, finishing fourth in his heat in 52.15 seconds, again with only the top three sure of progressing.
Competing in their finals overnight (Wednesday night/Thursday morning, Irish time) will be Elizabeth Ndudi in the long jump, after qualifying as 12th best, and Oisin Joyce in the javelin final, having qualified as the ninth best.
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