Raquel Tjernagel was the fastest Canadian in the women’s 200 metres at the IAAF World junior track and field championships.
The New Westminster sprinter set a new B.C. open and native women’s youth record of 23.75 in the 200m, smashing Krysha Bailey’s 14-year-old record mark of 24 seconds flat.
Tjernagel’s pending record time also obliterated her own previous best time of 24.21 and advanced the Coquitlam Cheetahs club runner to the semifinals, following a third-place finish in the qualifying heats at the world juniors in Eugene, Oregon on the weekend.
“It was amazing,” said Tjernagel’s coach Tara Self. “We went down to watch and she ran a phenomenal race. It was at the right place and the right time. To be able to go into that environment and perform exceedingly well is outstanding.”
Tjernagel was later eliminated in the semifinals of the 200m following a sixth-place finish in her heat, despite a second straight sub-24-second effort at the worlds.
In that semi, Tjernagel clocked a quick 12th-best overall time of 23.90 in the opening heat against the best 19-and-under athletes from more than 212 competing countries.
Due to Tjernagel’s age, the 16-year-old will be able to compete again at the world juniors in two years time.
“In Oregon, the weather was great. She knew she had a good run in her,” Self added. “We expect big things from her in the future. If she is 12th this year, what’s in store for her in two years time?”
Leya Buchanan of Canada also failed to move on after a 24.17 fifth-place clocking in Heat 2.
Burnaby’s Zion Corrales-Nelson, who was running for the Philippines at the worlds, missed qualifying in the opening heats, placing fifth in Heat 4 in a time of 24.34.
