Jamaica’s Kerrica Hill will start the defence of her 100m hurdles title on Thursday’s third day of the World Athletics U20 Championships at Estadio Atletico de la Videna in Lima, Peru, with the aim of being the first athlete in history to win back-to-back gold medals at that level.

Hill, who became the successor to compatriot Ackera Nugent as the World Under-20 champion when she set a championships record 12.77 seconds (0.2m/s) in Cali, Colombia, two years ago, enters the event as the world leader with 12.85 seconds which she clocked two weeks ago in Luxembourg.

Hill along with Habiba Harris, who won the event at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) National Junior Championships in June, are the Jamaicans set to feature in the event that will see the first two rounds competed on the same day. The final is set for Friday evening.

Hill is to run in the first heat of the day at 9:21 am, and Harris is to contest heat seven, scheduled to start at 10:03 am. The semi-finals are set for 3:05 pm.

Jamaicans dominate the World Athletics Under-20 100m hurdles rankings, with Hill, Harris (12.95) and Tonie-Ann Forbes (13.05) occupying the top three spots.

Shania Myers is in sixth position with 13.08 and Briana Campbell in eighth place with 13.11.

Hill has raced in the 100m hurdles only twice this year however. She had run 12.99 at the JAAA Olympic French Foray at the National Stadium in Jamaica on May 18.