Madeline Cooper and Le’Ezra Brown win 2026 World Athletics U20 hurdles titles for Team USA in Eugene; Brown equals U20 world record 12.72
World Athletics U20 Championships 2026: Madeline Cooper and Le’Ezra Brown earn hurdles titles for Team USA
World Athletics U20 Championships 2026: Madeline Cooper and Le’Ezra Brown earn hurdles titles for Team USA
It was double gold for the United States in Eugene, as Cooper took the women’s 100m hurdles title in 12.91 seconds, with Brown equalling the men’s 110m hurdles (99cm) world record.
Two hurdles finals, two popular wins for home favourites Madeline Cooper and Le’Ezra Brown at the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships on Saturday (8 August).
Cooper struck gold first in the women’s 100m hurdles, powering ahead of South Africa’s Tumi Ramokgopa by the time they reached the final hurdle. Finishing strong, she crossed the line in 12.91 seconds.
“I just went out there to have fun,” she said after the race. “In the rounds, I was tired and getting beat. But now, in the final, I believed in myself, my coaches and my abilities. I became a dog and ran hard.”
Asked how it felt to walk away a world champion, she responded: “It feels amazing. We have so many amazing hurdlers on this USA team, so getting to be a part of that is crazy. It means so much to be a part of this history.”
Beaten to the line by Cooper, Ramokgopa edged out Jamaica’s Tiana Marshall to claim runner-up honours in 12.96, while the Jamaican snatched bronze in a season’s best of 12.97.
“I came into the race very tired, but I put it out of my mind because I knew I was a medal contender,” Ramokgopa told reporters. “It was a tight race, but the other contenders pushed me as well.”
It was much clearer who had claimed the men’s 110m hurdles (99cm) title, with the crowd applauding the champion before his name even flashed up on the scoreboard: Le’Ezra Brown.
Streaking ahead of the other eight finalists, the 19-year-old hurdling star equalled France’s Sasha Zhoya ’s U20 world record of 12.72 during an electric final.
“I felt it in my warm up,” he asserted after the race. “I did one acceleration and my coach told me I was ready. I was running good and knew it was going to happen. It is big, we have been talking about this for some time.”
Japan’s Jeremy Koga was next best at 12.97, pipping Brown’s teammate Zacchaeus Brooks on the finish line, with the latter claiming bronze in 12.98.
“My coaches and my mom came to support [me]. My mom had some tears, but I did it for them,” proclaimed a triumphant Brown. “I want to be a national champion and run at LA28.”
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Picture by USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Athletics | U20 World Championships | Oregon | United States of America