Italian Teen Kelly Doualla Wins European U-20 100m Gold

Fifteen-year-old Italian sprinter Kelly Doualla won gold in the women's 100 meters at the European Under-20 Athletics Championships in Tampere, Finland, clocking 11.22 seconds and dominating competitors, some up to three years her senior. Born to Cameroonian parents and inspired by Jamaican sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Doualla expressed deep emotion and excitement following her victory, which marked her as the youngest winner in the history of this event at the championships. Her performance was just shy of her own Italian Under-20 record and followed recent successes including setting European Under-18 bests earlier in the year. The win contributed to Italy's strong showing at the championships, where the team secured multiple medals, and Doualla credited her coach and training partners for their support. British athletes Mabel Akande and Teddy Wilson earned silver medals in the sprints, with Akande finishing second to Doualla in the 100 meters. Doualla's rapid rise and exceptional talent suggest she could follow in the footsteps of her role model, Fraser-Pryce, as a leading figure in international sprinting.