China wins first athletics gold, Walaza claims 200m title at Universiade

Shu Heng secured China's first athletics gold with a 8.09m-jump at the Rhine-Ruhr Universiade, while South Africa's Bayanda Walaza, 18, clinched his second sprint title in men's 200m following his 100m victory.

BOCHUM, Germany, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Long jumper Shu Heng leaped 8.09 meters to claim China's first track and field gold medal, while South Africa's teenage sprinting sensation Bayanda Walaza won his second gold in as many days Thursday at the Rhine-Ruhr World University Games.

Shu improved on his leading mark of 8.07 meters from the fourth round by two centimeters in his final attempt to win the event, 13cm shy of his 8.22m gold-winning performance at the Asian Athletics Championships in May.

Japan's Koki Fujihara finished second with 8.00m, edging Germany's Luka Herden by four centimeters.

"Every international competition helps strengthen my confidence. Winning the Asian championship boosted me mentally, and now winning at the University Games further paves the way and reinforces my confidence for bigger stages ahead," said Shu.

Another Chinese athlete, Xing Jialiang, the top qualifier in men's shot put, earned silver with a throw of 20.08m, just 17cm behind South Africa's Aiden Smith, who took gold. Italy's Riccardo Ferrara claimed bronze with 17.91m.

Walaza, 18, a Paris 2024 Olympian, was third fastest out of the blocks and surged past Spain's Adria Alfonso Medero in the outer lane to win the men's 200m final from lane seven. Walaza clocked 20.63 seconds to Medero's 20.70, with South Korea's Lee Jae-song taking bronze in 20.75.

Walaza's time was an improvement on his 20.93 in the heats and 20.76 in the semifinals earlier in the day.

"It's wonderful to say that I'm the fastest in all of the universities around the world. It's a great honor to be here and to win this," Walaza said after the race.

"I arrived in Germany with not a lot of training under my belt, but I quickly convinced myself that I am a warrior and a fighter."

The reigning world U20 champion also won the men's 100m on Tuesday in 10.16 seconds, edging Thailand's Puripol Boonson (10.22), whom he had previously defeated in last year's junior world final in Peru.

Italy led the night's medal haul with three golds from women's track events.

In the women's 200m, Tokyo 2020 Olympian Vittoria Fontana ran a personal best of 22.79 seconds to take gold, bettering her previous mark of 22.97.

Eloisa Coiro won the women's 800m in 1:59.84 ahead of Switzerland's Veronica Vancardo (2:00.08) and Spain's Garcia Tena (2:00.12).

Alice Muraro added Italy's third track gold with a personal best of 54.60 in the women's 400m hurdles. Michelle Smith of the U.S. Virgin Islands earned silver in 55.65 and Hungary's Sara Mato took bronze in 55.92.

Turkish Ozlem Becerek won the women's discus with a season-best 61.15m. Sweden's Ana Lindfors took silver at 58.80 and Germany's Antonia Kinzel secured bronze with 58.43.

Israel claimed its first athletics medal of the meet as Jonathan Kapitolnik won men's high jump with a 2.27m clearance. Totsuki Abe delivered Japan's first athletics gold by winning the men's 110m hurdles in 13.47 seconds.

Poland picked up two golds on the night. Filip Ostrowski won the men's 1,500m in 3:46.10, and the Polish team captured the 4x400m mixed relay title with a season-best 3:15.18.

In table tennis, China's Zhao Shang swept past Huang Yu-jie of Chinese Taipei 4-0 to win women's singles. Vladimir Sidorenko defeated Maksim Grebnev 4-1 in the men's singles final between individual neutral athletes, concluding the table tennis competitions.

In men's basketball, Brazil and the United States advanced to Saturday's final. Brazil edged host Germany 83-78, while Team USA overcame Lithuania 72-64.

"When we're making a bunch of mistakes and we're down, we all come together and smile and stay positive and keep working hard. I am blessed from God to be in this position I am in," said U.S. forward Daniel Skillings Jr., who had a game-high 17 points. ■