Youth World Games: Headon and Trochimczuk shine

Teenage talents complement gold medals with further accolades 11 Jul 2018
Imagen
Polish male swimmer Juliusz Trochimczuk in a wheelchair receives an award from two men

Juliusz Trochimczuk receives the Sir Ludwig Guttmann award

ⒸLuc Percival
By IWAS

US field athlete Aubrey Headon and Polish swimmer Juliusz Trochimczuk were among the teenage talents to emerge from the 2018 International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS) Youth World Games held 2-5 July in Athlone, Ireland.

Eighteen-year-old Headon smashed an Americas record (2.56m) in the women’s under-20 long jump, and the T35 athlete’s achievement earned her the IWAS Ambulant Athlete with International Potential award.

Trochimczuk, 15, impressed with triple golds in the 50m and 100m freestyle, and 50m backstroke. The S1 swimmer’s performance was further recognised with the Sir Ludwig Guttmann Paraplegic Sports Federation Wheelchair Athlete with International Potential accolade.

Both athletes also received GBP 700 towards their participation at a future IWAS World Games.

Athletics

In track and field, Germany’s T54 racer Tristan Joshua Ademes claimed four wins in three days. He won the men’s 5,000m under-23/20, 100m, 800m and 200m under-20. He also bagged silver in the 400m.

Ademe’s teammate Merle Marie Menje, also a T54, grabbed victories in the 800m under-17/20, 100m under-20, 200m under-17/20 and 400m under-20.

Thailand’s Pongsakorn Paeyo (T53), 21, completed a track double in the men’s 200m and 400m under-23.

South Africa's Simone Kruger (F38) also doubled up on the field, winning the women’s discus and shot put under-17.

Seventeen-year-old Croatian Erik Fabian Kaurin (F46) secured gold in the men's shot put and bronze in the discus under-20.

The USA’s Miguel Jimenez Vergara (T54) retained his title in the men's 400m under-20.

Swimming

In the pool, 16-year-old US swimmer Lauren Gates (S10) bagged a hat-trick of golds in the women’s 100m and 50m freestyle, and 100m backstroke 16-19 age group.

Poland’s Zusanna Boruszewska (S9) swam three impressive races to win the women's 50m and 100m freestyle, and 200m individual medley in the 14-15 age group.

Thailand’s Phucit Aingchaiyaphum (S6) retained two of his titles in the men’s 100m freestyle and 100m backstroke, and added silver in the 50m freestyle 17-19 age group.

Croatia’s Dario Buric (S10) left with golds in the men’s 100m and 50m freestyle.

Table tennis

Thailand enjoyed a gold medal haul.

Panwas Sringham secured gold in the women’s singles class 3-5, whilst teammates Yuttajak Glinbancheun and Kamon Sayjan were also victorious in the men’s singles class 2-3 and 4-5, respectively.

Master Parinya Punkaew rounded off Thailand’s singles success by taking the men’s class 9-10.

Glinbancheun, already a Paralympian at 21, also took open gold, whilst Punkaew did the same. Sringham also doubled up in the women’s.

Ioana Monica Tepelea claimed two golds for Romania in the women’s singles and open class 6-10.

Athletes from 16 countries competed across mixed-class events separated into age groups in swimming, athletics and table tennis.

Full results from all sports can be found at the 2018 IWAS Youth World Games page.