SAO PAULO, Brazil – A momentous occasion unfolded at the South American Athletics Outdoor Championships as Issam Asinga of Suriname, made headlines worldwide by smashing the men’s U20 100-metre world record. In a breathtaking display of speed and skill, Asinga blazed through the track in a mere 9.89 seconds (0.8m/s wind), seizing the gold medal and etching his name in history.
The previous U20 world record, held by Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, had been a formidable 9.91 seconds, but Asinga’s blazing performance left it in the dust. His exceptional feat also places him tied for fourth globally among all 100m athletes this season, an impressive achievement for the young talent. Not to mention, he bettered his previous wind-legal best time of 10.02 seconds by an impressive 0.13 seconds.
Asinga’s journey to glory started in the morning’s preliminaries, where he set the tone by clocking a commendable 10.03 seconds, obliterating the championships’ record. But he wasn’t content with that alone. In the final, he summoned his inner strength and determination, delivering an electrifying performance to secure victory in 9.89 seconds. Adding to the spectacle, two other athletes achieved the remarkable feat of breaking the 10-second barrier in the same race.
Erik Felipe Barbosa Cardoso of Brazil ran 9.97 for second and Ronal Longa Mosquera of Columbia, 9.99 for third place.
The world now eagerly awaits Asinga’s next challenge as he is set to represent Suriname at the Budapest 2023 World Athletics Championships.
