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DPA
Tokyo
The women emulated the men on Wednesday when American Sydney McLaughlin smashed her own world record in the 400 metre hurdles for gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
Fellow American Dalilah Muhammad led for most of the race, but McLaughlin sped ahead at the final hurdle to take gold in 51.46 seconds.
World champion and 2016 gold medallist Muhammad also stayed well below McLaughlin’s previous record of 51.90 from earlier in the year, clocking 51.58. Dutch ace Femke Bol earned bronze in a European record 52.03.
The fast times came 24 hours after Norway’s Karsten Warholm had also obliterated his world record in the men’s final, lowering it by .76 of a second to 45.94 seconds on the fast Tokyo track.
“I’m absolutely delighted. What a great race. I’m just grateful to be out here celebrating that extraordinary race and representing my country,” McLaughlin said.
“I saw Dalilah ahead of me with one to go. I just thought ‘run your race’,” she said.
Muhammad said: “This means everything to me at this moment. To be 31 and running at your very, very best is absolutely amazing.”
There were also fast times in the men’s 200m where Canada’s Andre de Grasse got a first major title at last as successor to Usain Bolt in the 200m - with whom he famously exchanged smiles in the 2016 semis.
Emmanuel Kipkurui Korir led a Kenyan gold-silver showing in the men’s 800m, Peruth Chemutai of Uganda won the women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase, and Poland’s Wojciech Nowicki got a big hammer throw gold at last.
De Grasse won the 200m in a national record 19.62 seconds as he finally climbed to the top of the podium after eight minor medals in the past at worlds and Olympics, including 100m bronze in Tokyo.
He is the first Canadian to claim a global sprint title because Ben Johnson was stripped of his 1987 world and 1988 Olympic 100m titles for doping.
De Grasse beat three Americans as Kenneth Bednarek got silver in a personal best 19.68, world champion Noah Lyles bronze with 19.74 while teenager Erriyon Knighton missed the podium in fourth.
In the 800m, Korir pulled away coming into the home stretch to get gold in 1 minute 45.06 seconds. Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich took silver after 2019 worlds bronze, and former 400m hurdles runner Patryk Dobek of Poland was a surprise bronze medallist.
The 2012 and 2016 gold medallist David Rudisha of Kenya and American world champion Donavan Brazier were not competing, while 2012 silver medallist Nijel Amos and American 2016 bronze medallist Clayton Murphy were no factor, finishing second-last and last, respectively.
“I don’t know what to say, just thanks to God. This is a big thing for me after failing to qualify for the final in the 2017 and 2019 world championships. But today is my day,” Korir said.
Chemutai caught up and ran away from courageous American leader Courtney Frerichs in the final 200m for gold in 9 minutes 1:45 seconds. The elated Frerichs took silver as at the 2017 worlds in 9:04.79, and bronze went to Hyvin Kiyeng of Kenya.
World champion and world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech of Kenya was seventh and 2017 world champion Emma Coburn of the US was eventually disqualified having never been in medal contention.
Nowicki got gold with 82.52m at last after finishing third at the last Olympics and the last three worlds. Norway’s Eivind Henriksen threw over 80m for the first time in his life while four-time reigning world champion Pawel Fajdek missed the elusive Olympic gold again but got his first medal in the form of bronze.
The multi-events had their first day with heartbreak for both world champions as Germany’s Niklas Kaul and Katarina Johnson-Thompson pulled up injured in their final events of the day.
Canadian ace Damian Warner was the overnight decathlon leader after five events while Dutch Anouk Vetter topped the heptathlon.
In preliminary action, world champion Grant Holloway led the way into the 110m hurdles final and fellow American veteran Allyson Felix made the 400m final in search of her 10th Olympic medal, with 2016 winner Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas also through.
German top favourite Johannes Vetter reached the javelin final on his final attempt while Rio 2016 minor medallist Julius Yego of Kenya and Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago went out.
Tokyo
The women emulated the men on Wednesday when American Sydney McLaughlin smashed her own world record in the 400 metre hurdles for gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
Fellow American Dalilah Muhammad led for most of the race, but McLaughlin sped ahead at the final hurdle to take gold in 51.46 seconds.
World champion and 2016 gold medallist Muhammad also stayed well below McLaughlin’s previous record of 51.90 from earlier in the year, clocking 51.58. Dutch ace Femke Bol earned bronze in a European record 52.03.
The fast times came 24 hours after Norway’s Karsten Warholm had also obliterated his world record in the men’s final, lowering it by .76 of a second to 45.94 seconds on the fast Tokyo track.
“I’m absolutely delighted. What a great race. I’m just grateful to be out here celebrating that extraordinary race and representing my country,” McLaughlin said.
“I saw Dalilah ahead of me with one to go. I just thought ‘run your race’,” she said.
Muhammad said: “This means everything to me at this moment. To be 31 and running at your very, very best is absolutely amazing.”
There were also fast times in the men’s 200m where Canada’s Andre de Grasse got a first major title at last as successor to Usain Bolt in the 200m - with whom he famously exchanged smiles in the 2016 semis.
Emmanuel Kipkurui Korir led a Kenyan gold-silver showing in the men’s 800m, Peruth Chemutai of Uganda won the women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase, and Poland’s Wojciech Nowicki got a big hammer throw gold at last.
De Grasse won the 200m in a national record 19.62 seconds as he finally climbed to the top of the podium after eight minor medals in the past at worlds and Olympics, including 100m bronze in Tokyo.
He is the first Canadian to claim a global sprint title because Ben Johnson was stripped of his 1987 world and 1988 Olympic 100m titles for doping.
De Grasse beat three Americans as Kenneth Bednarek got silver in a personal best 19.68, world champion Noah Lyles bronze with 19.74 while teenager Erriyon Knighton missed the podium in fourth.
In the 800m, Korir pulled away coming into the home stretch to get gold in 1 minute 45.06 seconds. Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich took silver after 2019 worlds bronze, and former 400m hurdles runner Patryk Dobek of Poland was a surprise bronze medallist.
The 2012 and 2016 gold medallist David Rudisha of Kenya and American world champion Donavan Brazier were not competing, while 2012 silver medallist Nijel Amos and American 2016 bronze medallist Clayton Murphy were no factor, finishing second-last and last, respectively.
“I don’t know what to say, just thanks to God. This is a big thing for me after failing to qualify for the final in the 2017 and 2019 world championships. But today is my day,” Korir said.
Chemutai caught up and ran away from courageous American leader Courtney Frerichs in the final 200m for gold in 9 minutes 1:45 seconds. The elated Frerichs took silver as at the 2017 worlds in 9:04.79, and bronze went to Hyvin Kiyeng of Kenya.
World champion and world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech of Kenya was seventh and 2017 world champion Emma Coburn of the US was eventually disqualified having never been in medal contention.
Nowicki got gold with 82.52m at last after finishing third at the last Olympics and the last three worlds. Norway’s Eivind Henriksen threw over 80m for the first time in his life while four-time reigning world champion Pawel Fajdek missed the elusive Olympic gold again but got his first medal in the form of bronze.
The multi-events had their first day with heartbreak for both world champions as Germany’s Niklas Kaul and Katarina Johnson-Thompson pulled up injured in their final events of the day.
Canadian ace Damian Warner was the overnight decathlon leader after five events while Dutch Anouk Vetter topped the heptathlon.
In preliminary action, world champion Grant Holloway led the way into the 110m hurdles final and fellow American veteran Allyson Felix made the 400m final in search of her 10th Olympic medal, with 2016 winner Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas also through.
German top favourite Johannes Vetter reached the javelin final on his final attempt while Rio 2016 minor medallist Julius Yego of Kenya and Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago went out.
