Saint Lucia's Jady Emmanuel reaches World U20 100m final with record-breaking run

Saint Lucia's Jady Emmanuel recorded the second-fastest time in the women's 100 metres preliminary round at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships Oregon 26 on Wednesday, August 5, after setting a new national Under-18 record of 11.28 seconds before qualifying for the final later in the day.

Competing at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, the 17-year-old won Heat Two in a personal best 11.28 seconds with a legal wind reading of 1.9 metres per second. The time improved on her previous personal best of 11.39 seconds, which she set while winning the women's 100m title at the ANOCES/OECS Championships in St. Kitts and Nevis last month.

Emmanuel's time was the second fastest across the preliminary round behind Jamaica's Theianna-Lee Terrelonge, who recorded 11.21 seconds to win Heat Four. Guyana's Athaleyha Hinckson finished second in Emmanuel's heat in 11.31 seconds, while Australia's Maya Taber placed third in 11.39 seconds.

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She returned for the semi-finals later on Wednesday and finished second in her race in 11.42 seconds to qualify for the women's 100m final.
Emmanuel is from Morne Paul in the southern community of Laborie and is regarded as one of Saint Lucia's top young sprinters. She is also known as the country's "Golden Girl", a nickname she earned after making history at the 2025 CARIFTA Games by becoming Saint Lucia's first athlete to win both the Under-17 girls' 100m and 200m titles at the same championships.

The CARIFTA victories also saw Emmanuel break the national junior sprint records previously held by Olympic champion Julien Alfred. Earlier this year, she was named Junior Sportswoman of the Year at Saint Lucia's 44th National Sports Awards.

The Saint Lucian sprinter has continued to compete successfully at the senior level this year. Last month, she won the women's 100m title at the ANOCES/OECS Championships in St. Kitts and Nevis in a venue record and then personal best time of 11.39 seconds.

Emmanuel is also set to continue her athletics career in the United States after signing with the University of Texas.

Her performance in Oregon has already seen her lower that personal best to 11.28 seconds, set a new Saint Lucia Under-18 record and book her place in the women's 100m final at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships.