DPA
Budapest
Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen got 5,000 metres redemption again, Femke Bol stayed on her feet this time to give the Netherlands a stunning 4x400m relay gold, and Yaroslava Mahuchikh delighted the whole of Ukraine with high jump gold in the world championship finale on Sunday.
If that wasn’t enough, javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra made history for India again along with silver medallist Arshad Nadeem from Pakistan; and Kenya’s Mary Moraa prevailed in a thrilling big-three 800m duel.
History repeated himself for Ingebrigtsen when he made up for a 1,500 metres defeat against Briton Josh Kerr with 5,000m gold, just like he did last year after he had lost the 1,500n to another Briton, Jake Wightman.
Ingebrigtsen came from behind on the home straight to pip Spain’s Mohamed Katir for victory by .14 of a second on the final metres, clocking 13 minutes 11.30 seconds. Jacob Krop of Kenya earned bronze after silver last year.
“I knew I had to do better than in the 1,500,” Ingebrigtsen told German broadcasters ZDF.
“I felt I little dizzy, my body still had to recover from a virus. I was really disappointed with my situation but I didn’t want to give up. In the end it was a good championship.” Bol had dramatically fallen shortly before the finish line with gold in sight on the opening day in the 4x400m mixed relay.
She then lived up to her top billing to win the 400m hurdles and on Sunday really came good when she overcame a huge deficit entering the home straight to run past Briton Nicole Yeargin and then steal the gold from Jamaica’s Stacey Ann Williams at the death.
There was far less drama in the men’s relay where the US team ran away with the gold ahead of France, who finally got on the medal table, and Britain.
It was the 12th and final gold for the US who were the dominant force again with 29 medals overall from 49 events.
World indoor champion Mahuchikh finally got a major outdoor title after a silver and two bronze at worlds and Olympics, and Ukraine’s first gold in Budapest, clearing 2.01m before missing a personal best 2.07m.
She beat the Australian duo of defending champion Eleanor Patterson and Nicola Olyslagers, who had 1.99m each.
“Finally I have this gold,” Mahuchikh told Eurosport, wearing a golden crown.
“It is important to represent my country. It is importasnt for the country. I thought to myself should win the gold medal for my country.” Two years after becoming India’s first-ever athletics Olympic champion, Chopra did the same at the worlds, improving from silver last year to gold with 88.17m.
Commonwealth Games champion Nadeem got a first-ever medal for Pakistan and Czech Jakub Vadlejch stole the bronze with his final attempt from German European champion Julian Weber, a result that also means that former powerhouse Germany go home without a medal for the first time in championship history.
“I dont really know what happened. I gave my all. I would have loved to have gotten the medal. I am very sorry,” Weber said after a third straight fourth-place finish, following the 2021 Olympics and 2022 worlds.
Commonwealth Games champion Moraa got the better of defending and Olympic champion Athing Mu and Briton Keely Hodgkinson for 800m gold, leaping across the finish line in delight in a personal best 1:56.03 minutes.
Moraa passed Mu early on the home straight. Hodgkinson also left Mu behind on the inside but the Briton was unable to catch Moraa and had to settle for a third straight major event silver.
Kenya-born Winfred Yavi of Bahrain beat her former compatriots for gold at last in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase after fourth-place finishes in 2019 and 2022.
Yavi attacked on the last back straight to win in 8:54.29, more than four seconds ahead of 2019 winner Beatrice Chepkoech and Faith Cherotich taking bronze.
Victor Kiplangat of Uganda meanwhile won the marathon when ran away from his last rival, Ethiopia’s Leul Gebresilase, after 38 kilometres and crossed the line in 2:08:53 hours for the 42.195km on another hot morning.
The athletes will now focus on next year’s Paris Olympics, and the next worlds are 2025 in Tokyo, which also hosted the 1991 edition.
