The nineteenth edition of the World Athletics Championship was held between August 19 and August 27, in Budapest, Hungary. There were several notable athletes, who either never participated in an individual event, withdrew from the Championship due to injuries or who got hurt during the Championship. These included the likes of Elaine Thompson-Herah, Michael Norman, Salwa Eid Naser and Sydney McLaughlin, as also, Steven Gardiner, who picked up a hamstring injury during the semifinals of the men’s 400m. Nevertheless, the Championship was a very successful one, with highs and lows, surprises and disappointments.
Lyles and Richardson dominate 100m Final
The American, Noah Lyles, promised and delivered, when he won his first of three gold medals in the men’s 100m. Lyles won the event in 9.83 seconds, ahead of Letsile Tebogo of Botswana and Zharnell Hughes of Great Britain, both of whom were given the same time of 9.88 seconds, for second and third, respectively. Interestingly, Oblique Seville of Jamaica, was given the same time of 9.88 seconds for fourth. In essence, second, third and fourth ended up in a photo-finish, and had to be separated on the one thousandth decimal placings.
The brash and controversial American, Sha’Carri Richardson, won the women’s 100m in a Championship Record time of 10.65, to get the better of the Jamaican pair of Shericka Jackson (10.72) and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.77). As has become customary, Marie Josse Talou failed to medal, finishing fourth yet again, in a time of 10.81 seconds.
Lyles and Jackson golden in the 200m
The defending 200m Champion, Noah Lyles, completed the sprint double, winning the gold medal in 19.52 seconds. Erriyon Knighton upgraded the 200m bronze medal he won at last year’s World Championship, to silver, posting 19.75, while Letsile Tebogo stopped the clock in 19.81, for bronze. Zharnell Hughes of Great Britain was fourth in 20.02.
The defending World Champion, Shericka Jackson of Jamaica, improved her Championship Record by, .04 seconds, to post 21.45 for the gold medal, while Gabrielle Thomas of the USA was second in 21.81, and Sha’Carri Richardson was third in 21.92.
Antonio Watson and Marileidy Paulino secure 400m gold
Antonio Watson crowned himself in glory, when he became Jamaica’s second 400m World Champion in forty years. Bertland Cameron won the 1983 inaugural event in a Championship Record of 45.05. Watson posted 44.22 for the gold medal, while Mathew Hudson-Smith of Great Britain, won the silver medal in 42.31, and Quincy Hall of the USA, secured the bronze medal in 44.37. The other Jamaican, Sean Bailey, was fifth in 44.96.
Marileidy Paulino of Dominica, upgraded the silver medal that she won in the 400m at last year’s World Championship in Oregon, to gold. The Dominican posted 48.76 for the win. Natalia Kaczmarek of Poland, copped the silver medal in 49.57, while Sada Williams of Barbados, won her second consecutive bronze medal in 49.60.
Marco Arop and Mary Moraa posted upsets in the 800m
Marco Arop of Canada won the gold medal in the men’s 800m in 1:44.24, while Emmanuel Wanyoni of Kenya won the silver medal in 1:44.53, and Ben Pattison of Great Britain copped the bronze medal in 1:44.83.
The American and defending 800m World Champion, Athing Mu, was dethroned. Mu finished third, to secure the bronze medal in 1:56.61. The event was won by Mary Moraa of Kenya, who posted 1:56.03 for the gold medal. Keely Hodgkinson of Great Britain stopped the clock in 1:56.34, to cop the silver medal.
Another 1500m victory for Kipyegon, Josh Kerr upset the favourite
The Kenyan and Defending women’s 1500 World Champion, Faith Kipyegon, won gold in 3:54.87, while Diribe Welteji of Ethiopia won the silver medal in 3:55.69, and Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands secured the bronze medal.
Josh Kerr of Great Britain surprised Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway, to win gold in the men’s 1500m in 3:29.38. Ingebrigtsen posted 3:29.65 for silver, while his team-mate, Narve Gilje Nordas, secured the bronze medal in 3:29.68.
Holloway and Williams take Sprint hurdles titles
Grant Holloway of the USA won three World Championship titles on the trot, when he posted 12.96, to win the gold medal in the men’s 110m hurdles. Hansle Parchment of Jamaica posted a Season Best of 13.07, to cop the silver medal, while Daniel Roberts of the USA secured the bronze medal in 13.09.
Defying all odds, the Jamaican, Danielle Williams, won gold in the women’s 100m hurdles, posting a Season Best of 12.43. Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico won the silver medal in 12.44, while Kendra Harrison of the USA secured the bronze medal in 12.46. Debutant, Ackera Nugent of Jamaica, was fifth in 12.61, while the World Record Holder and 2022 World Champion, Tobi Amusan of Nigeria, was sixth in 12.62.
Europeans Kristen Warholm and Femke Bol dominate the 400m Hurdles
The Norwegian World Record Holder and double World Champion, Karsten Warholm, won the gold medal in the men’s 400m hurdles in 46.89. Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Island won the silver medal in 47.34, while the American, Rai Benjamin, secured the bronze medal in 47.56. Of note, the Jamaican junior, Roshawn Clarke, was fourth in 48.07, while Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos was fifth in 48.10.
Season’s favourite, Femke Bol of the Netherlands, won the gold medal in the women’s 400m hurdles, to claim her first global title. The Dutch woman posted an impressive 51.70, to take the win over the American, Shamier Little, who won the silver medal in 52.80, and Rushell Clayton of Jamaica, who ran a Personal Best of 52.81, to secure the bronze medal. The other two Jamaicans, Janieve Russell and Andrenette Knight, posted 54.28 and 55.20, for seventh and eighth, respectively.
Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece best the field in the Men’s Long Jump Final
Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece won the gold medal in the men’s long jump on his final effort, cutting the sands in 8.52m. Wayne Pinnock of Jamaica won the silver medal with a jump of 8.50m, while his team-mate, Tajay Gayle, secured the bronze medal in a distance of 8.27m. Jamaica’s Carey McLeod was fourth on the count-back in a similar distance of 8.27m. It was the first time that three Jamaicans would advance to the final of the horizontal jumps and at any global Championship. And, it was the first time that two would medal in the event.
Duplantis wins Men’s Pole Vault Final
Armand Duplantis of Norway won the men’s pole vault, clearing 6.10m, to get the better of Ernest John Obiena of the Phillipines, who copped cleared 6.00m for the silver medal and Kurtis Marschall of Australia, who cleared 5.95m, to secure the bronze medal.
Men’s 20km Race Walk Final
The men’s 20km Race Walk, was the first contested final, and was won by Alvano Martin of Spain, in 1:17.32. The Swede, Perseus Karlstrom, was second in 1:17.39, while Caio Bonfin of Brazil, was third in 1:17.47.
Team USA victorious in Mixed 4 x 400m Relays Final
The US quartet of Justin Robinson, Rosey Effong, Mathew Boling and Alexis Holmes won the mixed 4 x 400m relays. On the anchor leg, Holmes put Femke Bol of the Netherlands under tremendous pressure, causing the latter to fall, and got disqualified. The British quartet of Lewis Davey, Laviai Neilsen, Rio Mitcham and Yemi Mary John won the silver medal, while the Czech Republic’s quartet of Matej Krsek, Tereza Petrzilkovia, Patrik Sorm and Lada Vondrova secured the bronze medal.
Joshua Cheptegei wins, Ethiopian women swept 10,000m Final
Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda, won the gold medal in the men’s 10,000m final, posting a 27:51.42, while Daniel Simiu Ebenyo of Kenya, copped the silver medal in 27:.52.60, and Selemon Barega of Ethiopia, secured the bronze medal in 27:52.72.
It was an Ethiopian “sweep” in the women’s 10,000m. Gudaf Tsegay won the event in 31:27.18, while Letesenbet Gidey won the silver medal in 31:28.16 and Ejgayehu Tay secured the bronze medal in 31:28.31.
Ingebrigtsen and Kipyegon win 5000m titles
Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway, won the gold medal in the men’s 5000m in 13:11.30, while Mohamed Katir of Spain won the silver medal in 13:11.44, and Jacob Krop of Kenya secured the bronze medal in 13:12.28.
Faith Kipyegon of Kenya won the gold medal in the women’s 5000m in 14:53.88, while Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands copped the silver medal in 14:54.11, and Beatrice Chebet of Kenya secured the bronze medal in 14:54.33.
World Record holder Ryan Crouser wins Men’s Shot Put Final
Having had some injury concerns coming into the Championship, the American, Ryan Crouser, dug deep, to win the men’s shot put with a throw of 23.51m. Leonardo Fabbri of Italy copped the silver medal with a throw of 22.34m, while Joe Kovacs, the other American, secured the bronze medal with a creditable effort of 22.12m.
India’s Neeraj Chopra makes history in Men’s Javelin Throw
History was created, when Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian World Champion, posting a best effort of 88.17m, to win the gold medal in the Javelin, while Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan (87.82m), copped the silver medal and Jakub Vadlejch of Czech Republic, won the bronze medal with an effort of 86.67m.
Rojas and Sango secure Triple Jump victories
From a shaky and doubtful start, Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela, dug deep and got the better of her competitors. The Venezuelan cut the sands in 15.08m, to displace Maryna Bekh Romanchuk of Ukraine, who jumped 15.00m for the silver medal, and Leyanis Perez Hernandez of Cuba, who secured the bronze with an effort of 14.96m.
Having posted the longest jump of 17.70m in the qualifying round, which ostensibly was the best jump of the entire competition, the Jamaican junior, Jaydon Hibbert, was forced to pull out of the event due to a grade one tear of his hamstring. In his absence, Fabrice Zango of Burkina Faso won the gold medal with a jump of 17.64m, while Lazario Martinez of Cuba copped the silver medal with a jump of 17.41m, and Cristian Napoles, also of Cuba, secured the bronze medal with an effort 17.40m.
Team USA takes both 4 x 100m titles
The US quartet of Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley, Brandon Carnes and Noah Lyles won the men’s 4 x 100m final in a World Lead of 37.33. Indeed, this was Noah Lyles third gold medal of the Championship. The Italian quartet of Robert Rigali, Lamont Marcell Jacobs, Lorenzo Patta and Fillipo Tortu won the silver medal, while the Jamaican quartet of Ackeem Blake, Oblique Seville, Ryiem Forde and Rohan Watson secured the bronze medal in 37.76.
Tamari Davis, Twanisha Terry, Gabrielle Thomas and Sha’Carri Richardson combined, to win the women’s 4 x 100m in a Championship Record of 41.03, to deny the Jamaican quartet of Natasha Morrison, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Sashalee Forbes and Shericka Jackson that finished in 41.21. The Great Britain quartet of Asha Phillip, Imani Lansiquot, Bianca Williams and Daryl Neita posted 41.97, to secure the bronze medal.
Team USA and Team Netherland victorious in 4 x 400m Final
The US quartet of Quincy Hall, Vernon Norwood, Justin Robinson and Rai Benjamin won the gold medal in the men’s 4 x 400m in an impressive 2:57.31, to get the better of the French quartet of Ludvy Vaillant, Giles Biron, David Sombe and Teo Andant that posted 2:58.45 for the silver medal, and the Great Britain quartet of Alex Haydock-Wilson, Charles Dobson, Lewis Davy and Rio Mitcham that stopped the clock in 2:58.71 for the bronze medal. The Jamaican quartet of Rusheen McDonald, Roshawn Clarke, Zandrion Barnes and Antonio Watson was fourth in 2:59.34.
In an enthralling and nail-biting finish between Jamaica and the Netherlands, Femke Bol produced an amazing anchor leg, to reel-in the Jamaican, Stacy-Ann Williams, to win gold for her team in 3:20.72. The Dutch team was comprised of Eveline Saalberg, Lieke Klaver, Cathelijn Peeters and Femke Bol. The Jamaica quartet of Candice Mcleod, Janieve Russell, Nickisha Pryce and Stacy Ann Williams copped the silver medal in 3:20.88, while the Great Britain quartet of Laviai Nielsen, Amber Anning, Ama Pipi and Nicole Yeargin secured the bronze medal in 3:21.04.
Henley E. Taylor
Freelance Sports Writer
Noah Lyles photo courtesy of https://www.sourceathletics.com/
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