Elizabeth Ndudi is through to the long jump final after the opening session of the World Under-20 Athletics Championships in Lima, Peru on Tuesday, although the 19-year-old from Dublin was well short of her best.
After improving the Irish senior record to 6.68 metres in Illinois back in April, Ndudi arrived in Peru ranked third best among the entries, and keen to repeat her gold medal heroics in the European Under-20 Championships in Jerusalem last summer.
However in the cool morning conditions, she could only manage a best of 5.95m, and with that was the last of the 12 qualifiers for the final, which takes place late on Wednesday night. Spain’s Laura Martinez was the best of the 12 qualifiers, leaping a season best of 6.37m, and if Ndudi can get close to her Irish record, she may yet be in the medal mix.
Sean Aigboboh from Tallaght AC also progressed from his opening round of the 100m, clocking 10.55 seconds to finish third in his heat, the eighth and final non-automatic time qualifier. The 18-year-old Sean Aigboboh is a training partner of Israel Olatunde
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However, it was not to be for the Irish mixed 4x400m team of Conor Kelly, Daisy Walker, Sean Doggett and Niamh Murray, who finished fourth in their heat in 3:26.40, won by Germany in 3:24.10.
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