Cuba’s Caballero crowned world discus queen
BEIJING, China (AFP) – Cuba’s Denia Caballero won the women’s discus title at the World Championships yesterday.
Caballero threw 69.28 metres to beat defending world and Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic of Croatia, whose best of 67.39m won her silver.
Germany’s Nadine Mueller claimed bronze (65.53m).
Kenya’s Rudisha wins world 800m title
BEIJING, China (AFP) – Kenya’s David Rudisha claimed a second world 800m title with a smart tactical race in Beijing yesterday.
The Olympic champion and world record-holder led from gun to tape, clocking 1 min 45.84sec for victory.
Poland’s Adam Kszczot claimed silver in 1:46.08, with Bosnian Amel Tuka taking bronze (1:46.30).
Rudisha went out fast to nail down point, going through the first lap in 54.15sec.
Down the far straight, European champion Kszczot tried to force past Rudisha on the inside, but the Kenyan managed to muscle him off as the pack spread with runners looking for a clean line.
Tula sat in fourth behind Kenyan Ferguson Rotich and Kszczot at 200 metres, all three fighting for two podium spots as Rudisha opened up and put in one final burst for the line.
Tula’s trademark electric last 30-metre finish came too late, not even able to catch the Pole, with Rudisha clean home.
Rudisha set an amazing world record of 1:40.91 when winning gold in the London Games.
Bett wins men’s 400m hurdles gold
BEIJING, China (AFP) – Nicholas Bett handed Kenya a first-ever medal in the men’s 400m hurdles at the world championships on yesterday when he held his nerve for gold.
Bett clocked a world-leading time of 47.79 seconds, with Russian Denis Kudryavtsev taking silver in a national record of 48.05sec in Beijing.
Jeffrey Gibson of the Bahamas claimed bronze in 48.17, also a national record, as American two-time world champion Kerron Clement was pushed into fourth by one-hundredth of a second.
Genzebe Dibaba storms to 1500m title
BEIJING, China (AFP) – Ethiopian favourite Genzebe Dibaba stormed to the women’s world 1500m title as she stamped her authority with a sumptuous display of controlled running in Beijing yesterday.
The world record-holder strolled through a pedestrian first lap before taking the front, tracked by Kenyan Faith Kipyegon and Dawit Seyaum, also of Ethiopia.
But a second kick 200m from the line saw Dibaba stretch away to win in 4min 08.09sec, Kipyegon taking silver in 4:09.96 and fast-finishing Ethiopian-born Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan third in 4:09.34.
Dibaba last month ran 3:50.07 to shatter the world 1500m record set in 1993 by China’s Yunxia Qu, who competed under the guidance of controversial coach Ma Junren.
She also holds the world records for the indoor 1500, 3000 and 5000m events, continuing a family tradition that includes elder sister Tirunesh holding the world record in the outdoor 5000m.
Rutherford adds world gold to Olympic title
BEIJING, China (AFP) – Greg Rutherford won a third gold medal for Britain when he claimed victory in the men’s long jump at the World Championships on Tuesday.
The Olympic champion leapt a season’s best of 8.41 metres in a dominant display in Beijing.
Australian Fabrice Lapierre won silver with 8.24m, while there were cheers from a packed Bird’s Nest stadium crowd as home hope Jianan Wang claimed bronze (8.18).