The event had record participation levels, with 1375 athletes (757 boys/618 girls) from 173 countries entering the tournament.

New Zealand's Jacko Gill won the shot put by four metres, improving his own youth best to 24.35 m. Jake Stein collected a record 6491 points in the octathlon, while Leonard Kirwa Kosencha of Kenya ran a world youth best of 1:44.08 minutes for the 800 metres.

The United States boys and Jamaican girls ran record times to win their respective medley relay events.

Jamaica came third, winning most of its medals in the sprints and jumps, although Fedrick Dacres made history by taking the country's first ever gold in the discus throw.

[2] The same top-three order occurred in the points table, which took into account placings in the top eight of each event.