A world junior record was bettered before China and the Netherlands each bagged a gold medal on the opening day of the IAAF World Junior Championships in Beijing yesterday.

Lights dimmed when the clock ticked to eight o'clock in the evening and the dark blue sky was lit up by fireworks above Chaoyang Sports Center as the championships formally got underway. 

China's national champion Xue Fei gave the hosts the first gold at the tournament when she claimed the women's 5,000m title in 15 minutes 31.61 in the penultimate event of the day. Florence Jebet Kiplagat of Kenya was overtaken by Xue at the last moment and finished second in 15:32.34 just ahead of her compatriot Mary Wacera Ngugi who clocked 15:36.82.

Xue Fei

"I've been looking forward to winning this title for a long time," said Xue. "I was very confident throughout the race." The young athlete celebrated her 17th birthday on August 8 -- the very day Beijing started its two-year countdown to the 2008 Olympic Games.

"I'm happy to win here but my ultimate goal is to triumph at the Beijing Olympics," said Xue. She was crowned in the 5,000m at the National Championships earlier this month.

The first gold of the six-day competition in the 10,000 capacity stadium was won by Dutch teenager Melissa Boekelman in the shot put.

Melissa Boekelman

The men's discus saw a new record being set when Estonia's Margus Hunt threw 66.35 meters in his first attempt in the group qualification in the morning. The 19-year-old improved on the previous world mark of 65.88m set by Egypt's Omar El-Ghazaly in 2003.

"Honestly, I was hoping to throw a world record tomorrow in the final but not today and not with my first throw," said the 2.05m tall teenager after his superb performance. "I felt very good this morning, very relaxed and as you know all the best throws come when it feels easy," he said. "My throw this morning was like an easy job!" 

National champion Boekelman, 17, grabbed the first title of the tournament with her unbeatable first attempt of 17.66m. Boekelman, winner of both indoor and outdoor championships earlier this year, was obviously surprised by her win. "It's incredible. I didn't expect it.... Sorry, I cannot describe it but it really feels good," she said. German Denise Hinrichs and Russian Irina Tarasova finished second and third respectively.

The championships, the highest-level athletics competition Beijing has ever held, attracted a record number of 1,451 athletes (806 men and 645 women) from 180 countries and regions.

No fewer than 28 athletes, 14 male and 14 female, who competed here were crowned IAAF world youth champions just over a year ago in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh.

The tournament has given the Beijing Olympic organizers an opportunity to test some of their preparations for their very big event including administration, volunteers and security.

(Xinhua News Agency August 16, 2006)