QuickTake:

The World Athletics U20 Championships wrapped Sunday with a three-hour sprint to the finish at Hayward Field. Team USA claimed the team title behind a meet-record 24 total medals, including gold from University of Oregon commit Simon Rosselli in the men’s discus. Ellery Lincoln was fifth in the women’s 1500-meter final.

Simon Rosselli knew he had a good throw left in the tank.

He had it Saturday, too, when he nearly stepped out of the ring to scratch his auto-qualifying first throw, but his coach yelled and convinced him to save it for Sunday.

For a while in the final, it appeared he’d emptied his tank. After tossing a personal-best 63.32m to lead the men’s discus field through the first round, he watched as four throwers surpassed him from a field which ended with six personal-best marks.

That good throw was still yet to come. On his sixth attempt, needing another personal best to medal, he realized the only way he could win was to break the American U20 record set in 2009.

“The pressure was on,” he said. “I had to go do something special, like I said I was going to. This is holding me to my word.”

Oregon commit Simon Rosselli of team USA prepares to compete in the men’s discus final. Credit: Craig Strobeck

He smiled, then uncorked 66.39 meters (217 feet, 9 inches) to rocket to the top of the field. None of the three remaining athletes could surpass him. That wasn’t the big one, either.

“I’ll be honest, there was a lot bigger,” Rosselli said. “There’s a lot more to come.”

Rosselli was competing this week without knowing if his house is still standing. Wildfires in Spokane, Washington, forced his family to evacuate. They were in Eugene watching him from the sideline as he broke the national record.

“It doesn’t matter if my house might be burned down, or if I’m fifth place going into the sixth throw,” he said. “I can overcome anything, and especially inside Hayward, taking in some of that Hayward magic.”

Ellery Lincoln fifth in women’s 1500 meters

Ellery Lincoln of team USA and an Oregon commit runs in the women’s 1500-meter final. Credit: Craig Strobeck

After hanging with the women’s 1500-meter field during a tactical beginning, University of Oregon commit Ellery Lincoln fell off the pace as the breakaway group separated at the final lap.

“That’s really the pinnacle of U20 world talent right now, so I don’t feel too ashamed getting a little bit dropped by them, because they definitely hit some really high gears,” said Lincoln, who finished fifth in 4:22.60.

American Claire Stegall went with that group of leaders and secured silver after diving at the line.

Lincoln will run at Oregon in 2027, after completing her senior year at Lincoln High School, where she’ll start the cross-country season in the fall with a new perspective.

“I’ve never been able to experience championship racing like this,” Lincoln said. “I’m really proud of how I faced my first one and what lessons I took away from it. I think it’s invaluable.”

Other notable medalists

Cameron Tucker runs the second leg of the men’s 4×400-meter relay for team USA. Credit: Craig Strobeck

Tate Taylor and Blake Hamilton subbed into the 4×100-meter relay and dominated as Team USA cruised to a U20 world record in 38.16 behind Taylor’s 8.75-second anchor leg.

The U.S. women’s 4×400-meter relay won gold in a world-U20-leading 3:29.15; the U.S. men’s team did the same in a world-U20-leading 3:01.39.

Isaiah Whitaker took pole vault bronze.