TNN/DPA
Doha/Budapest
Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim missed a fourth straight title and took bronze with 2.33m while Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi (with whom Barshim shared the gold at Tokyo Olympics in 2021) won the men’s world high jump title after a fascinating contest of the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Centre on Tuesday night.
Tamberi managed a best of 2.36 metres to win on countback from American JuVaughn Harrison, who took silver.
Barshim, the three-time defending champion had a stuttering start at 2.25m and faltered at four of his seven jumps (clearing 2.25m, 2.29 and 2.33m). He then failed at 2.36 in all his three attempts.
Tamberi , with a half-shaven face, meanwhile cleared 2.36m in his first go and later aimed for 2.38 but couldn’t in all three chances but his gold remained secure as Harrison, who cleared 2.36 in his second attempt also could not scale 2.38.
Tausaga tops women’s discus throw
Laulauga Tausaga was a shock discus winner with a personal best 69.49m in an American one-two ahead of top favourite Valarie Allman and title holder Feng Bin of China, while three-time champion Sandra Perkovic of Croatia failed to make the podium a 6th straight time in fifth.
Elsewhere, defending champion Tobi Amusan of Nigeria breezed into the women’s 110 metres hurdles semi-finals in 12.48 seconds, less than a week after having a provisional suspension on suspicion of doping rules violations lifted.
Amusan was suspended in July by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).
But a statement Thursday said an AIU disciplinary tribunal decided she did not violate whereabouts rules in connection with three missed tests within a 12-month period.
The biggest statement in the heats came from American worlds and Olympics silver medallist Kendra Harrison, who clocked 12.24 seconds, the fastest time of the year and just four hundredths off her former world record which Amusan lowered to 12.12 last year.
The 2019 world champion Nia Ali of the US and Olympic champ Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico also advanced.
Dutch top favourite Femke Bol coasted into the women’s 400m hurdles final but there were several shocks as well.
Olympic 400m champion Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas pulled up injured leading the way into the home straight of his semi-final.
Past champions Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa Kirani James of Grenada advanced, but Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith stole the show with a European record 44.26 seconds.
Wednesday’s finals are the women’s 400m and pole vault, and the men’s 400m hurdles and 1,500m where Norway eye double gold from their stars Karsten Warholm and Jakob Ingebrigtsen, respectively.
