Welington Zaza


Welington Zaza is a Liberian hurdler who specialises in the 110 metres hurdles and the 400 metres hurdles. Zaza is the African junior record holder in the 110 metres hurdles. He broke that record at the 2014 World Junior Championships in Athletics. He has also competed at a World Championships.

Competition

Zaza's debut at an international athletics competition was at the 2014 World Junior Championships in Athletics. Zaza competed in both the 110 metres hurdles and the 400 metres hurdles. For the heat round of the 110 metres hurdles, Zaza was drawn in heat two, a heat containing seven other athletes alongside Zaza. In his heat, Zaza ran a time of 13.66 seconds, a season's best for him, to finish third in his heat. He finished 0.07 seconds behind the heat winner, American Theophile Viltz, and 0.02 seconds behind the heat runner-up, Patrick Elger of Germany. Overall, Zaza was the equal ninth quickest athlete in the heat round. As the top three athletes from each heat qualified for the semi-finals, Zaza progressed. In the semi-final, Zaza ran a Liberian junior record time of 13.53 seconds to finish second in the race. Zaza was 0.08 seconds behind the race winner, Jamaican Tyler Mason. Overall, Zaza's time was the fifth quickest in the semi-final round. As the top two finishers from each semi-final qualified for the final, Zaza progressed. In the final, Zaza ran a time of 13.38 seconds. The time was a new African junior record in the 110 metres hurdles. Zaza finished fourth, 0.39 seconds behind the winner, Wilhem Belocian of France. In the 400 metres hurdles, Zaza did not progress past the heats after his time of 55.38 seconds was not quick enough to progress.
At the 2015 World Championships, Zaza was the only competitor from Liberia. He competed in the 110 metres hurdles. He finished last in his heat in a time of 14.56 seconds. Zaza was the second slowest athlete overall in the heat round. Zaza did not progress to the semi-finals.