JOIN US Dutch powerhouse Dafne Schippers led from gun to tape to retain her world 200 metres title on Friday, holding off a spirited charge from Ivorian Marie-Josee Ta Lou, who had to settle for another near-miss silver.
With Olympic champion Elaine Thompson opting not to race the 200 and Tori Bowie pulling out after winning the 100, things had looked easier for Schippers, who took bronze in the 100, but she had to use every inch of her strength to hold off Ta Lou and win in 22.05 seconds.
“I fought for that,” Schippers said. “I have worked so hard this year so I am so happy. Two times in a row is very special.”
She now joins American Gwen Torrence (1991-93) and Jamaican Merlene Ottey (1987-95) as the only women to medal in both 100M and 200M at successive world championships.
“This last year was not the easiest for me. I changed everything and got a new coach, so I’m very happy,” Schippers added.
“My secret is enjoying the sport and enjoying my racing. I feel a little bit nervous starting out, but I’m a final runner and I’m grateful for the experience now it’s over.”
Ta Lou had lost the 100M final by one hundredth of a second after failing to dip on the line and though she did lean this time she was just behind Schippers in 22.08, still a national record. Olympic 400M champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo, who stumbled in sight of gold and slipped to fifth in the 400M final, this time trailed badly coming off the bend but produced a barnstorming last 30 metres to overhaul 21-year-old home hope Dina Asher-Smith in 22.15.
Reese dominant
American Brittney Reese claimed her fourth world long jump title on Friday after a tense, tight contest in which only six centimetres separated the top four competitors.
Darya Klishina, competing as a neutral athlete after the Russian federation was banned over state-sponsored doping, took silver for her first medal at a major finals after jumping seven metres for the first time in six years.
Titleholder and Olympic champion Tianna Bartoletta won bronze, squeezing on to the podium with her last jump ahead of Serbia’s Ivana Spanovic who missed out on a medal at a global finals for the first time since 2013.
Reese won with a leap of 7.02 metres on her third attempt and had to endure a nerve-wracking finale after receiving a red flag on her next three jumps.
The 30-year-old said it was an emotional moment after her grandfather passed away two weeks ago.
“I was doing this for him and I know he would have been cheering for me,” she said. “I’m a stronger person than I probably think I am. It has shown me mentally at my best. I’ll be continuing to Tokyo 2020. I’m not done yet, I can assure you.”
Fajdek claims hat-trick
Pawel Fajdek, the colourful hammer champion from Poland, became the first man to win three successive world championship gold medals with a dominant triumph on Friday.
The bespectacled, tattooed 28-year-old, whose world championship triumphs have gone hand in hand with Olympic calamities, completed a hammer double for Poland after Anita Wlodarczyk’s equally conclusive triumph in the women’s event.
The silver went to Russian Valeriy Pronkin, competing under the neutral flag after being given permission to take part by the IAAF only last month, as he produced a final-round throw to consign Fajdek’s Polish rival Wojciech Nowicki to the bronze.
Shock wins
Emma Coburn and Courtney Frerichs stunned the World Championships by winning gold and silver in a dramatic women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase final, the first Americans to get medals in the event.
The duo were not counted among the favourites heading to London, with world record holder and 2016 Olympic champion Ruth Jebet of Bahrain looking like the one to beat.
But Coburn launched herself over the final water jump in a daring move that led to her surging down the final straight to win in a Championship record time of 9 minutes 2.58 seconds.
Reuters
Results: Men: Hammer throw: Pawel Fadjek (POL) 79.81 metres, 1; Valeriy Pronkin (ANA-neutral) 78.16, 2; Wojciech Nowicki (POL) 78.03, 3.
Women: 200M: Dafne Schippers (NED) 22.05 seconds, 1; Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV) 22.08, 2; Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) 22.15, 3.
3000m steeplechase: Emma Coburn (USA) 9:02.58, 1; Courtney Frerichs (USA) 9:03.77, 2; Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi (KEN) 9:04.03, 3.
Long jump: Brittney Reese (USA) 7.02 metres, 1; Darya Klishina (ANA-neutral) 7.00, 2; Tianna Bartoletta (USA) 6.97, 3.