Eastern Michigan Athletics

Jake McEachern hammer throw
Photo by: CONNOR CUNNINGHAM

Five Track & Field Student-Athletes to Compete at World Athletics U20 Championships

8/26/2024 1:09:00 PM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field

Competition will run Aug. 27-31 at Estadio Atletico de la Videna in Lima, Peru

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Five Eastern Michigan University track & field student-athletes are set to compete against some of the world's best U20 athletes as they will compete at the 2024 World Athletics Championships, held at Estadio Atletico de la Videna in Lima, Peru, Tuesday-Saturday, Aug. 27-31.
 
Fans can follow the Eagles using a live stream and results link that can be found on the World Athletics website here. After the meet, a recap will be posted to EMUEagles.com.
 
Eastern will be represented by Nikol Antoniadi (Didimoticho, Greece/Geniko Lykeio Didimotichou), Fiaku Ezechukwuchiri (Anambra Nimo, Nigeria), Ryan Johnson (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro), Jake McEachern (Lloydminster, Alberta/Lloydminster), and Paige Marchant (London, Ontario/Catholic Central).
 
Antoniadi will represent Team Greece in the 100m hurdles Thursday, Aug. 29, 10:25 a.m. Antoniadi enters competition after clocking a personal-best in the event in 14.02 at the University of Michigan's Len Paddock Open, April 27.
 
Yet to compete as an Eastern Michigan student-athlete, Ezechukwuchiri will compete for his native country Nigeria in the high jump, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 11:30 a.m. His best mark of the 2024 season was a 2.18m (7-2), June 18.
 
Eastern's two sophomore phenoms in the circle, McEachern and Johnson will compete in the hammer throw on behalf of Team USA and Team Canada, respectively, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 10 a.m. Currently ranked 11th in the world in the U20 age group, McEachern is coming off a historic performance at the Bell Track & Field Trials, June 26-30. In Ontario, he captured gold in the hammer throw (67.32m (220-08), discus (49.22m (161-05), and shot put (15.93m (52-02). McEachern also earned All-MAC Second Team honors following the 2024 outdoor season.
 
Like McEachern, Johnson also sits atop his respective countries' hammer throwing throne, as he won the U20 competition at the USA Track & Field Championships with a toss of 71.06m (233-01), June 13. Johnson dominated the collegiate season, earning All-MAC First Team distinction in both the indoor and outdoor season with event wins in the weight and hammer throw at the conference championships. He won the weight throw in the indoor season with a 22.24m (73-00.00) heave, Feb. 23, and the hammer throw in the outdoor campaign, as he sent one 65.17m (213-09), May 9. Johnson was also named Freshman Field Performer of the Year following both the MAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships.
 
A rising star in the game, Marchant will run for Team Canada in the 1500m Wednesday, Aug. 28, 5: 40 p.m. She etched her name into Eastern history this past season, winning three events at the MAC Indoor Championships, becoming the second woman to do so, Feb. 23-24. She led the charge in the Eagles capturing their second consecutive MAC indoor crown with wins in the 800m (2:10.26), mile run (4:49.67), and the 3,000m in a meet-record time of 9:25.38. Following the meet, Marchant collected a pair of awards as she was named the MAC Women's Freshman Track Performer of the Year and the MAC Women's Most Valuable Performer, Feb. 28. Marchant also set the indoor mile record with a 4:38.91 run, Feb. 9, and was named to the All-MAC First Team in the indoor season while earning second-team all-conference in the outdoor campaign.
 
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