Michal Rada wins junior world title in 400m hurdles

Nineteen-year-old Czech athlete Michal Rada became junior world champion in the 400 metres hurdles in Eugene, winning in a European junior record of 48.59 seconds. He improved on his silver medal from the previous championship in Lima.

Rada was the fastest at every split and finished 0.64 seconds ahead of Japan’s Taiju Gotō, the favourite for the title. He also improved his personal best from last year by 0.19 seconds, breaking the European junior record that had stood since 1984.

Rada’s gold was the fourth medal for the Czech team in Eugene. Pole vaulter Nicole Krutilová also won gold, while decathlete Adam Juliš took bronze and the mixed 4x400-metre relay won silver.