Noah Lyles’ good luck message to Team USA could not have played out much better. With the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships held in the United States for the first time under its current U20 name, Lyles encouraged the young American squad before the meet began. A day later, Tate Taylor and Mia Maxwell won the men’s and women’s 100m titles, ending a 10-year wait for the U.S. Soon after, Lyles returned with a celebratory message as the home crowd had plenty to cheer about.

On August 7, Lyles took to X and wrote: “The US won both 100m at U20 championships. One side of the house real loud right now.” His reaction came after a memorable day for Team USA in Eugene.

At the U20 Championship, Taylor stormed to victory in the men’s 100m final, clocking a personal best 9.94 seconds to claim the world title. Gary Card finished second in 10.05, while South Africa’s Marko Ferreira took bronze in 10.16. With the victory, Taylor became the first American man since Lyles in 2016 to win the World U20 100m crown.

A decade ago in Bydgoszcz, Poland, Lyles won the world junior championship in 10.17 seconds, ahead of Italy’s Filippo Tortu (10.24) and Barbados’ Mario Burke (10.26). The victory also provided the U.S. with its first gold medal of the 2016 championships.

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“I just prayed to God, I believed in myself, and I understand that he [God] will pull through for me as long as I got the company,” Taylor said. “Just giving thanks to God, and the glory, because Jesus is keeping it amazing.”

Just 15 minutes before Taylor’s race, Mia Maxwell had already sparked the celebrations by winning the women’s 100m title in 11.14 seconds. The 18-year-old from Texas held off Jamaica’s Shanoya Douglas by just three hundredths of a second, while her twin sister, Mariah Maxwell, finished fifth in 11.35.

Maxwell also capped off 10 years of waiting time. She became the first American woman ever to win the World U20 100m title, after Candace Hill in 2016, ending a four-year run by Jamaicans. Briana Williams was the 2018 winner, while Tina Clayton picked up back-to-back awards in 2021 and 2022, and Alana Reid won for Jamaica in 2024.

Together, Taylor and Maxwell gave the United States its first sweep of the men’s and women’s 100m titles at the World U20 Championships. And Taylor and Maxwell were not the only Americans who made the nation proud at the World U20 Championships.

Team USA adds another historic gold with World U20 record relay run

Team USA delivered another memorable performance in the 4 x 400m mixed relay. The United States won the gold medal in 3:15.31, which is a new World U20 record and championship record. The previous mark of 3:17.69 was also held by the Americans after their performance at the 2022 World U20 Championships, but the latest quartet lowered that record by more than two seconds.

The winning team featured Joshua Shelton, Taylor-Nicole Overton, Jaelen Hunter, and Olivia Harris. “I knew I just had to hold the lead they all gave me and finish strong because that is what it was going to take to get the record and win overall,” said Harris. “We will all run the (women’s or men’s) 4x400m relays later this week.”

The United States was well clear of the rest, with Czechia placing second in 3:18.16 and Australia in third in 3:18.45. Both teams also broke national U20 records, but didn’t come close to the Americans’ record.

The win was the fastest mixed 4x400m relay ever at the U20 level and was a new historic win for Team USA on home turf. The relay team was a testament to the fact that America’s victory in Eugene wasn’t just two sprint champions.