The Top 11 Most Thrilling Moments of IAAF World U20 Championships

No American had ever medaled in the 1500m at the IAAF World U20 Championships--until yesterday.

Two Americans entered the final: Alexa Efraimson and Christina Aragon, who both hoped to be the first to break the curse. Only in two other years--2008 and 2014--have two athletes worn the red, white and blue in the 1500m final at this event. 

Bobby Clay of Great Britain took the pace out in 1:07.63 for 400m and 2:14.96 for 800m with Efraimson right on her shoulder and the full pack of 12 hanging right. As they neared 1200m, Adanech Anbesa of Ethiopia--who ran 4:05 this year--took the lead and passed for the bell lap in 3:20.98.

A pack of four separated themselves on the backstretch: Anbesa, Efraimson, Fantu Worku of Ethiopia--another 4:05 performer--and Aragon. As they rounded the curve for home, Anbesa and Worku slightly separated themselves, and Winfred Nzisa Mbithe of Kenya charged to the top group.

When the dust settled, Ethiopia finished in a 1-2 sweep as Anbesa ran 4:08.07 for gold; Worku clocked 4:08.43 for silver; and Aragon (!) earned bronze with a personal-best 4:08.71 effort that improves her own No. 4 all-time ranking for U.S. preps. The mark also elevates her from No. 5 to No. 4 on the U.S. U20 list, ahead of Suzy Favor Hamilton's 4:09.10 from 1987.

Efraimson, a Nike professional who is the American U20 national record holder at 4:03.39, faded to fifth in 4:10.23 as Mbithe ran 4:09.25 and edged her for fourth. Clay was seventh in 4:13.09.