Tate Taylor leads U20 sprint action in Eugene, Oregon; on verge of sub-10 100m

World Athletics U20 Championships 2026: Who are the next sprint stars ready to make their mark in Oregon?

Get to know the rising generation of track starlets aged between 16 and 19 who are competing in Eugene, Oregon.

The World Athletics U20 Championships 2026 will give the athletics world a first glimpse at the next generation.

Taking place in Eugene, Oregon, USA, the premier junior meet will welcome almost 2,000 athletes from around the world for a chance to showcase their talent.

Noah Lyles is among those who enjoyed success at the U20 World Championships and went on to become an Olympic champion, while Olympic gold medallist Quincy Wilson is in action this year at Hayward Field.

Who will announce themselves to the track world and shine brightest? Get to know some of the track starlets who will be in action in Eugene on the road to LA28 .

World Athletics U20 Championships 2026: Quincy Wilson, Tate Taylor, Shanoya Douglas lead stars in action, how to watch live

World Athletics U20 Championships 2026: Full schedule, results

Kelly Doualla (Italy, 16 years old)

Kelly Doualla has been storming through the ranks since breaking the European under-18 women’s 100m record at last year’s European Youth Olympic Festival. The Italian teenager added two gold medals at the continental U20 Championships and, just last month, added the U18 100m title to her collection on home soil.

“The goal [is to] go there and do my best, make a good impression,” Doualla told Olympics.com ahead of the World U20 Championships. “I’m not giving myself time or medal goals, because right now it’s not the most important thing. The important thing is to be able to compete calmly.”

Dakar 2026 rising stars: Kelly Doualla exclusive – “Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce gave me a lot of advice”

Home hopes will be directed towards the plethora of U.S. starlets, among them Tate Taylor . The San Antonio native is on the verge of going sub-10 with a 100m personal best of 10.04 and ran the third-fastest U20 200m time in last month’s Prefontaine Classic victory.

“They asked me over there, ‘What’s your track nickname?’” Taylor explained to Olympics.com , “And I was like, ‘Somebody in the comments gave me a nickname – they called me Cheat Code’. So whenever I’m around having fun, I’m Tate Taylor. But whenever I’m on the track, I am the ‘Cheat Code’.”

Exclusive: Meet U.S. rising sprint star Tate ‘Cheat Code’ Taylor

Tate Taylor ran the third-fastest U20 200m time of all time to win the 2026 Prefontaine Classic.

Shanoya Douglas has an advantage at the U20 World Championships, having already competed at the meet back in 2024. She won relay gold and 200m silver in Lima and has since set a new national U20 record in the 200m with a time of 22.11s.

The Jamaican has solid experience at international meets, having competed at her age level at the Pan American Championships when she was just 15.

Shanoya Douglas leads Jamaican team at Under-20 World Championships: “I have a lot more to show”

Jake Odey-Jordan (Great Britain, 18)

Another returning athlete is Jake Odey-Jordan , whose European U20 record of 10.01 over 100m has put a spotlight on his efforts. The Londoner has committed to Texas Tech University and aims to add to his two medals from Lima 2024 at Oregon 2026.

Having set the British indoor 300m record at the start of the season, he now headlines Team GB across the pond at Hayward Field.

Alongside twin sister Mariah , Mia Maxwell will lead Team USA’s medal hopes in both the women’s 100m and 200m, with the twins also both entered in the relay pool. Mia also specialises in the triple jump but is focusing on the track for her U20 World Championship debut.

Gary Card was part of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay gold medal team at the previous edition of the competition, and has since clocked a 100m time of 9.93 for the national U20 record. Joint-third on the all-time under-20 list, Card will feel even more assured in Eugene as he goes for more gold.

Getty Images for European Athletics

Meet U.S. rising sprint star Tate Taylor

World Athletics U20 Championships 2026: Stars in action, how to watch live

Shanoya Douglas targets 200m gold at World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 2026

Athletics | U20 World Championships | Oregon | United States of America