Eugene(US): The fifth day of the World Athletics Championships produced several surprises, including Jake Wightman of the United Kingdom winning the men’s 1,500m title in a world-leading time, while some favourites were upset.
Wightman won in three minutes and 29.23 seconds, outperforming several of the event’s favourites.
The new face on the podium even threw the timing system off. The screen on the live stream misidentified Wightman, 28, as his compatriot Josh Kerr, who won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics and finished fifth in Tuesday’s race.
Norway’s Olympic gold medalist Jakob Ingebrigtsen led the final lap until the final 200 metres, taking silver in three minutes and 29.47 seconds. Mohamed Katir of Spain finished 0.43 seconds behind Ingebrigtsen.
According to Xinhua, reigning world champion Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya finished sixth in 3:30.69.
Surprises continued in the men’s 400m hurdles, with defending champion and Olympic gold medalist Karsten Warholm finishing seventh. Alison Dos Santos of Brazil, 22, won gold with a championship record time of 46.29 seconds.
Another surprise came earlier in the day when Fred Kerley, the newly crowned men’s 100m champion, was eliminated after finishing sixth in his heat in the 200m semifinals.
Kerley’s fellow Americans took three of the eight final spots, with Noah Lyles leading the semifinals with a time of 19.62 seconds.
Xie Zhenye of China finished the individual event in 20.41 seconds.
The Jamaicans swept the track in the women’s 200m semifinals, with Shericka Jackson, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Elaine Thompson-Herah dashing into the final, and the Americans still have the potential to shatter the Jamaican trio, as Tamara Clark and Abby Steiner were also on the final list.
Eleanor Patterson of Australia held off her rival Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine in the women’s high jump, clearing the bar at 2.02 metres on her first attempt for gold.
Mahuchikh, the world indoor champion, had to win another silver medal after Doha at the same height but with an extra jump. Elena Vallortigara of Italy won bronze with a distance of 2.00 metres.
Another championship record was set in the men’s discus throw, with Slovenian Kristjan Ceh winning gold with 71.13 metres.
Sydney Mclaughlin of the United States breezed into the semifinals with a time of 53.95 seconds in the women’s 400 hurdles. China’s Mo Jiadie was unable to advance. —IANS