South African Teenager Luke Davids Races to 100m Youth Olympics Gold

South African Luke Davids has the world at his feet after winning the 100m gold medal at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires.

The 17-year-old charged home in a wind-assisted 10.15sec to join Akani Simbine as a major 100m champion for 2018 after Simbine led Team SA home 1-2 at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year.

Davids had crossed the finish line in 10.56 in the first stage and in the second stage he lowered his time to 10.15 for a combined 20.71, the only athlete to have a combined tally under 21 seconds.

‘The feeling of being the fastest young man in the world and being No 1 is amazing,’ Davids said.

‘I’ve been dreaming of this moment for months now. The spectators were incredible. The support they give you on the track, in the warmup and at all times is sensational.

‘People from Argentina seem as if they were from South Africa because of their kindness and, for that reason, I felt at home.’

One thing that Davids does not feel at home with, however, is being compared to Usain Bolt, three-time Olympic champion in the 100m.

‘I am very different,’ Davids said. ‘He is not me and I am not him. We have different personalities. I try to focus on my goal and what I have to do. I do not think much about comparing myself to him.’

Davids was flanked on the podium by Nigeria’s Alaba Olukunle Akintola, who came second in the race, and Japan’s Seiryo Ikeda, who was third.

Davids’ victory in the second stage can’t go down as a personal best as there was a strong following wind of 3.4m/s, which is stronger than the permitted 2.0m/s tailwind.